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A  SERIES 


REVIVAL    SERMONS 


BY    THE 

Rev.  DANIEL  BAKER 

FORMERLY   PASTOR    OF    SECOND  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH,  WASHINGTON  CITY 
NOW  OF  HOLLY   SPRINGS,  MISSISSIPPI. 


APPENDIX, 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

PUBLISHED   FOR   THE    AUTHOR 

BY    WILLIAM    S.    MARTIEN. 

1846. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  tlie  year  1846, 

By  WILLIAM  S.  MARTIEN. 

Tn  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District 

of  Pennsylvania. 


CONTENTS. 


SERMON  I. 

Truth  and  Excellence  of  the  Christian  Relig^ion 9 

SERMON  II. 
The  Greatness  of  God 43 

SERMON    III. 
Christ  the  Mediator 68 

SERMON  IV. 
Tlie  Uses  of  the  Law 106 

SERMON   V. 
The  Sinner  Weiglied  and  found  Wanting 131 

SERMON  VI. 
The  Character  and  Reward  of  the  Earthly  Minded 158 

SERMON  VII. 
The  Deluge 188 

SERMON  VIII. 
War  in  Heaven 212 


»  CONTENTS. 

SERMON  IX. 

On  Seeking  the  Lord 235 

SERMON  X. 

The  Duty  of  Coming  to  Christ 262 

SERMON  XL 

Vain  Excuses 286 

SERMON  XII. 

Idleness  Reproved 317 

APPENDIX. 

Letter  to  a  Christian  Brother  in  New  York 351 

Interesting  Recollections 360 


REVIVAL    SEEM  ON  S. 


SERMON  I. 


TRUTH  AND  EXCELLENCE  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 

Their  rock  is  not  as  our  Rock,  even  our  enemies  themselves  being' 
judges. — Deut.  xxxii.  31. 

These  words  form  a  part  of  what  is  usually 
denominated,  "■  the  Song  of  Moses."  It  is  a 
poem  of  singular  beauty;  and,  by  the  best 
judges,  is  supposed  to  contain  a  specimen  of 
almost  every  species  of  excellence  in  compo- 
sition. It  opens  with  a  sublime  invocation 
of  the  heavens  and  the  earth;  evidently  de- 
signed, to  convey  a  strong  idea  of  the  pecu- 
liar importance  of  the  subject  matter  of  the 
poem.  The  sacred  writer  speaks  sublimely 
of  Israel's  God:  "Ascribe  ye  greatness  unto 
our  God,"  says  he.  "He  is  the  Rock;  his 
work  is  perfect,  for  all  his  ways  are  judgment : 
a  God  of  truth,  and  without  iniquity,  just  and 
right  is  he."     The  author  of  the  poem  then 

2 


10  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

adverts  to  some  instances  of  God's  providen- 
tial care  exercised  over  the  tribes  of  Israel, 
particularly  in  conducting  them,  as  on  the 
wings  of  an  eagle,  towards  the  promised  land. 
"As  an  eagle,"  says  he,  "  stirreth  up  her  nest; 
fluttereth  over  her  young;  spreadeth  abroad 
her  wings ;  taketh  them ;  beareth  them  on  her 
wings,  so  the  Lord  alone  did  lead  him,  and 
there  was  no  strange  god  with  him."  This 
idea  of  the  tribes  of  Israel  beings  conducted 
out  of  Egypt,  towards  the  promised  land,  as 
upon  the  wings  of  an  eagle,  is  one  of  great 
sublimity,  particularly,  taken  in  connexion 
with  these  words — "I  kill,  and  I  make  alive; 
I  wound  and  I  heal;  neither  is  there  any  that 
can  deliver  out  of  my  hand ;  for  I  lift  my  hand 
to  heaven,  and  say,  I  live  for  ever."  In  com- 
parison with  such  a  God,  the  idol  gods  of  the 
heathen  were  emphatically,  "vanity  and  a 
lie."  No  wonder,  then,  that  Moses  here  in- 
dulges in  the  feelings  of  joy  and  triumph;  no 
wonder  that  he  uses  the  exulting^  lanoruas^e  of 
our  text;  "Their  rock  is  not  as  our  Rock,  even 
our  enemies  themselves  being  judges."  Mark 
the  expression!  even  our  enemies  themselves  be- 
ing judges.  Moses  adverts,  it  seems,  to  some 
w^ell  known  instances,  in  wdiich  the  superi- 
ority of  Israel's  God  was  acknowledged,  even 
by  those  who  served  other  gods,  which  indeed 
were  no  gods.  This  acknowledgment,  it  will 
be  recollected,  was  made  by  the  magicians  of 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  11 

Egypt,  when,  utterly  unable  to  resist  the 
miracles  wrought  by  Moses,  the  servant  of  the 
true  God,  they  exclaimed,  "  This  is  the  finger 
of  God!" — that  is,  this  miracle  comes  from  the 
true  God !  This  acknowledgment  w^as  also 
made  by  the  horsemen  of  Pharaoh,  when,  ter- 
ror-stricken in  the  Red  Sea,  they  cried  out 
one  to  another,  saying,  ''  Let  us  flee  from  the 
face  of  Israel,  for  their  God  fighteth  for  them, 
against  the  Egyptians."  It  was,  it  seems,  in 
reference  to  these,  and  similar  cases,  that 
Moses  uses  the  exultins^  lanoruasre  of  our  text: 
'*  Their  rock  is  not  as  our  Rock,  even  our  ene- 
mies themselves  being  judges." 

And  now,  my  brethren,  permit  me  to  apply 
the  passage  before  us  to  a  class  of  persons  not 
entirely  dissimilar.  I  mean  to  those  ranged 
under  the  banner  of  infidelity.  Rejecting  the 
sacred  volume,  they  have  a  system  of  their  own, 
(if  system  it  may  be  called.)  Now,  in  refer- 
ence to  them,  and  their  system,  I  feel  very  free 
to  apply  the  language  of  our  text :  "  Their 
rock  is  not  as  our  Rock,  even  our  enemies 
themselves  being  judges."  It  may  be  thought 
by  some  present,  that  the  speaker  is  not  happy 
in  the  selection  of  his  subject  this  day,  as 
there  is,  perhaps,  not  an  avowed  infidel  in  this 
assembly.  But,  suppose  there  be  no  avowed 
infidel  present,  there  may  be  many  spiced 
with  infidelity;  and  amongst  them,  perhaps, 
some  interesting  young  men,   who,   in  their 


12  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

reading,  and  travels,  have  had  mfidel  cavils 
and  objections  brought  before  their  minds, 
which  they  know  not  how  to  meet,  the  result 
is,  they  have  become  sceptical.  This  they  are 
not  exactly  willing  to  confess,  lest,  perchance, 
it  might  reach  a  mother's  ear,  and  pain  a  mo- 
ther's heart! — but,  the  seeds  of  infidelity  are 
there ;  and,  so  long  as  they  exist  in  the  bosom, 
they  operate  as  serious  barriers  in  the  way  of 
the  soul's  salvation.  This  being  the  case,  it  is 
proper  that,  occasionally,  at  least,  the  evi- 
dences of  our  holy  religion  should  be  laid  be- 
fore every  congregation.  Those  ranged  under 
the  banners  of  infidelity  may  plume  them- 
selves upon  their  wisdom,  and  the  great  supe- 
riority of  their  discoveries,  but,  thank  God ! 
we,  who  are  Christians,  occupy  better  ground 
than  they  do ;  and  may  well  say,  with  Moses, 
in  the  joy  and  triumph  of  our  hearts — "  their 
rock  is  not  as  our  Rock,  even  our  enemies 
themselves  being  judges." 

The  supreme  excellence,  and  great  superi- 
ority of  the  Christian  religion,  will  appear,  I 
think,  very  clearly,  in  the  three  following  par- 
ticulars : 

I.  In  the  matter  of  evidence. 
II.  In  reference  to  the  moral  influence,  and 
III.  In  relation  to  the  happiness  of  man. 

I.  In  the  matter  of  evidence.  Yes,  my  bre- 
thren, whatever  witlings  and  infidels  may  say 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  13 

to  the  contrary,  it  is  a  stubborn  fact,  that  this 
blessed  volume,  called  the  Bible,  comes  to  us 
with  credentials  clear! 


on  every  line 


Marked  with  the  seal  of  high  divinity  : 
On  every  leaf  bedewed  with  drops 
Of  love  divine,  and,  with  the  eternal  heraldry 
And  signature  of  God  Almighty  stamped 
From  first  to  last." 

Yet  the  infidel  rejects  the  sacred  volume ! 
and  why?  0!  because  he  is  a  very  reason- 
able man,  and  cannot,  forsooth,  without  a  pros- 
tration of  every  thing  like  reason,  embrace  a 
system  so  preposterous  and  absurd ! !  Now  let 
sound  reasonings  and  facts  be  submitted  to 
this  enlightened  and  candid  assembly. 

1.  If  there  be  no  divine  revelation,  as  infi- 
dels are  wont  to  affirm,  herein  is  a  marvellous 
thing,  that  there  should  be  none  !  And  why  ? 
For  many  reasons.  One  is  this :  There  are 
certain  questions  propounded  by  human  na- 
ture itself,  weighty  and  important  questions, 
and,  which,  in  the  very  nature  of  the  case, 
never  can  be  answered  without  a  divine  reve- 
lation. For  example.  Whe7^e  is  God,  my 
Maker! — The  author  of  my  being,  who  is  he? 
and  what  is  he?  It  will  be  recollected  that 
this  question  was  asked  by  Dyonisius,  the 
tyrant  of  Syracuse,  to  Simonides,  one  of  the 
seven  wise  men  of  Greece.  The  philosopher 
requested  one  day  to  think  upon  the  subject- 


14  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

at  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  demanded 
two  days,  and  then  four!  doubhng  the  time. 
When  asked,  why  he  demanded  so  much 
time?  he  rephed,  "  Sire,  the  longer  I  think 
upon  this  subject,  the  more  I  am  lost  in  its  dif- 
ficulty and  immensity."  In  the  very  nature  of 
the  case,  it  is  none  but  God  that  can  reveal 
God ;  and  yet,  the  infidel  scouts  the  idea  of  the 
Scriptures  having  been  divinely  inspired!  and 
he,  a  reasonable  man !  But  another  question 
propounded  by  human  nature,  is  this:  How 
can  a  man  be  just  with  God  ?  How  can  a  man, 
who  is  a  sinner,  obtain  the  forgiveness  of  his 
sins,  and  be  restored  to  the  favour  of  his  Ma- 
ker? This,  my  brethren,  believe  me,  has  for 
ages  and  ages  been  one  of  the  most  confound- 
ing and  perplexing  questions  ever  presented  to 
the  mind  of  man.  Heathen  sages,  and  some  of 
the  wise  ones  of  the  earth  at  the  present  day, 
talk  about  penances  and  pilgrimages,  bloody 
sacrifices,  costly  offerings,  repentance  and  re- 
formation, and  many  such  like  things.  But  it 
is  all  conjecture;  and,  in  a  matter  of  such  im- 
mense importance,  I  want  something  better 
than  conjecture.  I  am  a  sinner.  I  feel  it,  and, 
troubled  on  account  of  my  sins,  I  ask,  with 
trepidation — How  can  a  man  be  just  with 
God?  How  can  I,  a  poor,  burdened  sinner, 
obtain  the  forgiveness  of  my  sin,  and  be  re- 
stored to  the  favour  of  my  God  ?  I  listen,  and 
there  is  no  response !    There  can  be  none,  save 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  15 

from  the  throne  of  God ! — and,  without  it,  I 
live  in  darkness  :  I  die  in  gloom,  and,  sinking 
in  the  cold  embrace  of  death,  I  have  only  to 
say,  with  the  dying  Adrian,  "  Alas  !  my  trem- 
bling, dear,  departing  soul,  whither  art  thou 
going?"  I  say,  there  can  be  no  response,  to 
satisfy  the  troubled  conscience,  save  from  the 
throne  of  God.  The  case  is  clear.  Take  this 
illustration.  I  have  injured  you :  upon  reflec- 
tion, I  am  very  sorry  for  it,  and  I  wish  to 
know  on  what  terms  I  may  be  restored  to 
your  favour.  Shall  I  ask  one  of  your  ser- 
vants? He  knows  nothing  at  all  about  the 
matter.  He  can  give  nothing  better  than  con- 
jecture. You,  my  dear  sir,  the  person  injured, 
you  only  can  tell  me  on  what  terms  I  may  be 
restored  to  your  favour.  Even  so,  in  the  very 
nature  of  the  case,  it  is  none  but  God,  himself, 
who  can  satisfactorily  answer  the  question. 
How  can  a  man  be  just  with  God  ? — and  yet 
the  infidel  laughs  at  the  idea  of  a  divine  reve- 
lation !  and  plumes  himself  upon  being  a  rea- 
sonable man!  Not  so  very  reasonable  after 
all !  Mark  my  word — not  so  very  reasonable 
after  all !     But, 

2.  If  the  Bible  be  not  divinely  inspired, 
herein  is  another  marvellous  thing  to  be  ac- 
counted for,  that  some  how  or  other  this  bless- 
ed volume  answers  all  the  purposes  of  a  divine 
revelation.  To  say  nothing  of  its  giving  an 
account,  and  the  only  rational  account,  of  the 


16  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

creation  of  the  world;  of  the  origin  of  sin;  of 
the  division  of  time  into  weeks  of  seven  days; 
of  the  deluge;  and  other  matters  connected 
with  the  early  history  of  the  globe — is  it  not 
remarkable,  that  the  Bible  answers  most  clear- 
ly and  satisfactorily  the  questions  propounded, 
as  we  have  stated,  by  human  nature  itself? 
Take  the  first  question,  Where  is  God  my 
Maker?  or  what  is  God?  You  recollect  the 
reply  of  Simonides  to  the  monarch  who  pro- 
pounded to  him  the  question,  "  Sire,  the  more 
I  think  upon  this  subject,  the  more  I  am  lost 
in  its  difficulty  and  immensity."  Now^,  ask 
the  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved  the  same  ques- 
tion— John,  what  is  God?  "  God  is  Love,"  says 
he.  How  beautiful !  how  sublime !  But  if  you 
wish  a  more  extended  view  of  the  Divine  char- 
acter, according  to  the  Scriptures,  "  God  is  a 
Spirit,  infinite,  eternal,  and  unchangeable  in 
his  being,  wisdom,  power,  holiness,  justice, 
goodness,  and  truth."  Can  any  description  of 
the  Supreme  Being  be  nobler  and  more  perfect 
than  this?  And,  being  drawn  from  the  Bible, 
is  not  this  "a  stamp  divine?"  Are  not  these 
"credentials  clear?"  And  yet  the  infidel  re- 
jects the  sacred  volume!  and,  doubtless,  he  is 
a  very  reasonable  man.  In  intellect,  a  son  of 
Anak!  head  and  shoulders  taller  than  all 
around  him!  "  0  shame!  where  is  thy  blush." 
But  another  question,  as  we  have  said,  which 
human  nature  asks  w^ith  well  grounded  solici- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  17 

tnde,  is  this — How  can  a  man  be  just  with  God? 
How  can  a  man.  w^ho  is  a  sinner,  obtain  the  for- 
givness  of  his  sins,  and  be  restored  to  the  favour 
of  his  maker?  Sages  of  ancient  times,  and  wise 
ones  of  the  present  day,  will  talk,  as  we  have 
said,  about  the  merit  of  penances  and  pilgrim- 
ages; and  lay  great  stress  upon  the  efficacy  of 
repentance  and  reformation;  but  these  things 
have  no  divine  warrant;  they  are  at  best, 
only  matters  of  conjecture,  and  all  the  evidence 
of  analogy  is  against  them.  Here  is  a  man 
who,  by  a  course  of  licentious  indulgences  and 
extravagance,  has  lost  his  health  and  property; 
and  I  find  that  neither  penances,  nor  pilgrim- 
ages, nor  repentance,  nor  reformation,  nor  all 
of  them  united,  will  remove  the  effects  of  his 
licentiousness  and  extravagance;  how  do  I 
know,  then,  that  they  can  remove  the  penal 
consequences  of  sin?  In  the  very  nature  of 
the  case,  none  but  God  can  tell  on  what  terms 
he  will  pardon  the  sinner,  and  receive  him  to 
favour;  for  none  but  he  can  tell  what  the  hon- 
our of  the  Divine  government  may  require,  or 
how  the  punishment  of  the  offender  can  be  re- 
mitted, without  endangering  the  tranquilHty  of 
other  worlds,  and  creatures  which  he  has  made. 
Now,  on  the  subject  of  forgiveness,  and  restora- 
tion to  the  favour  of  God,  the  Bible  is  remark- 
ably clear,  and  full,  and  express.  Thus  Paul, 
addressing  the  men  of  Antioch,  says.  Be  it 
known  unto  you,  therefore,  men  and  brethren, 


18  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

that  through  this  man,  Christ  Jesus,  is  preach- 
ed unto  3'ou  the  forgiveness  of  sins^  and  by 
him,  all  that  believe,  are  justified  from  all 
things,  from  which  ye  could  not  be  justified, 
by  the  law  of  Moses.  Again,  writing  to  Tim- 
othy, he  says,  It  is  a  faithful  saying,  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus 
came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  of  w^hom  I 
am  chief  And  again;  writing  to  the  Romans, 
we  find  him  using  this  language.  Therefore, 
being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with 
God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;'  by 
w^hom  also  we  have  received  the  atonement. 
And  again ;  There  is,  therefore,  now,  no  con- 
demnation to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus, 
who  w^alk,  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the 
Spirit.  And  all  this  beautifully  harmonizing 
with  the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self— God  so  loved  the  w^orld,  that  he  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life.  How  delightful  are  these  declarations! 
wdiat  light  do  they  give  to  the  inquiring  sin- 
ner! what  sweet  relief  to  the  burdened  soul! 

3.  If  the  Bible  be  not  divinely  inspired,  here 
is  another  marvellous  thing,  that  it  furnishes  a 
perfect  code  of  moral  precepts.  In  this,  it  is 
perfectly  unique,  and  stands  alone  in  its  glory ! 
for  I  am  bold  to  say,  that  there  is  no  other  vo- 
lume upon  the  face  of  the  earth  which  furnish- 
es such  a  code  of  precepts.     Those  acquainted 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  19 

with  the  writings  of  heathen  sages  and  moral- 
ists, know  full  well,  that  their  ideas  on  the 
subject  of  moral  obligation,  are  remarkably 
crude ;  some  sanctioning  suicide,  and  some  in- 
fanticide; and,  even  the  enlightened  and  com- 
paratively virtuous  Cicero,  says,  "It  is  lawful 
to  fight  for  glory."  And  what  is  this,  but 
sanctioning^  ambition?  Ambition!  the  direct 
tendency  of  which  is  to  drench  the  earth  in 
blood,  and  fill  the  world  with  widows  and  or- 
phans! The  Bible,  thank  God,  teaches  a  purer 
and  better  morality  than  this !  We  said  that  it 
furnishes  a  perfect  code  of  moral  precepts. 
We  do  not  declaim,  we  give  proof,  absolute 
demonstration.  Our  Saviour  sums  up  all  the 
precepts  of  the  sacred  volume,  in  two  great 
commandments.  First,  Thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God,  witTi  all  thy  heart,  and  soul, 
and  mind,  and  strength;  and  Secondly,  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  Now, 
these  two  commandments  embrace  every  duty 
that  can  be  required  of  man.  Take  the  first. 
We  are  to  love  the  Lord  our  God  supremely ; 
see  how  this  embraces  every  duty  which  we 
owe  to  our  Maker.  For  example,  am  I  required 
to  submit  to  God?  How  easy,  and  how  na- 
tural it  is  to  submit  to  one  wdiom  we  supreme- 
ly love!  Am  I  required  to  repent  of  my  sins? 
It  is  love  which  breaks  the  heart;  which  melts 
it  down  in  tender  relentings  for  sin!  Am  I 
required  to  choose  God  as  the  portion  of  my 


20  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

soul?  If  I  love  him  supremely,  I  have  done 
it  already.  Am  I  required  to  obey  all  his  com- 
mandments?    And  who  does  not  know  that, 

"  'Tis  love  which  makes  our  cheerful  feet, 
In  swift  obedience  move." 

Take  the  second  great  commandment,  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  Only  let 
this  precept  be  acted  upon,  in  all  the  length  and 
breadth  of  its  requirement ;  and,  verily  there 
would  be  no  occasion  for  bolts,  nor  bars,  nor 
jails,  nor  penitentiaries,  nor  any  thing  of  the 
kind.  Love,  says  the  apostle,  worketh  no  ill 
to  his  neighbour,  therefore  love  is  the  fulfilling 
of  the  law.  Yes,  only  let  the  great  law  of  love 
be  acted  upon,  in  all  the  length  and  breadth 
of  its  requirements,  and  man  would  become 
ari  angel,  and  earth  a  paradise!  To  crow^n 
the  whole,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  all  duties 
both  toward  God  and  man,  are,  in  the  Bible, 
embraced  in  a  single  word!  and  that,  how 
simple!  how  well  understood,  by  the  learned 
and  the  unlearned — by  the  civilized,  by  the 
barbarian;  by  male  and  female;  by  the  child 
of  three  years  of  age,  and  the  man  of  threescore 
and  ten ! — love !  for  love  says  the  apostle,  is  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law.  Is  not  this  a  stamp  di- 
vine? Are  not  these  credentials  clear?  Yet, 
the  infidel  rejects  the  Bible!  Let  him  write  a 
better  book,  if  he  can !  And  this  reminds  me 
of  the  case  of  Lord  Lyttleton,  who,  belonging 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  21 

to  a  club  of  infidels,  was  pitched  upon  to  burn 
the  Bible.  Taking  the  volume  in  his  hand, 
he  approached  the  hearth,  but  upon  second 
thought,  returned  and  replaced  the  book  upon 
the  stand.  When  asked  why  he  did  not  throw 
it  into  the  fire  ?  he  made  this  very  sensible  re- 
mark, "  We  will  not  burn  this  book  until  we 
can  get  a  better."  Verily,  "their  rock  is  not 
as  our  Rock,  even  our  enemies  themselves  be- 
ing judges."     Again : 

4.  If  the  Bible  be  not  divinely  inspired,  is  it 
not  very  strange  and  unaccountable  that  so 
many  miracles  were  wrought  in  illustration  of 
its  truths  ? — Miracles  wrought  in  open  day ;  in 
the  presence  of  enemies ;  and  subjected  to  the 
severest  scrutiny.  Now,  either  these  miracles 
were  wrought,  or  they  were  not :  if  wrought, 
the  case  is  settled;  for  they  are  the  clearest 
credentials  of  the  divine  mission  of  those  who 
wrought  them.  If  not  wrought,  how  comes  it 
to  pass,  that  we  have  such  a  particular  and  de- 
tailed account  of  them?  How  comes  it  to  pass, 
that  they  were  attested  by  so  many  eye-wit- 
nesses, many  of  whom  suffered  martyrdom,  in 
attestation  of  the  facts  which  they  affirmed? 
Moreover,  how  comes  it  to  pass,  that  these 
miracles  had  so  powerful  an  influence  in  the 
spreading  of  doctrines,  so  directly  opposed  to 
long  established  systems  and  the  passions  of 
men?  And,  let  it  not  be  forgotten,  that,  in 
commemoration  of  some  of  these  miracles,  we 


22  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

have  monuments  and  memorials,  broiiglit  down 
even  to  the  present  time :  the  Sabbath,  for  ex- 
ample, changed  from  the  seventh  to  the  first 
day  of  the  week,  to  commemorate  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Christ  from  the  dead.  As  the  annual 
celebration  of  our  national  independence,  is  a 
memorial  and  proof  of  the  fact  which  it  com- 
memorates, even  so  the  present  observance  of 
the  Christian  Sabbath  is  a  standing  monument 
of  that  stupendous  miracle,  the  resurrection  of 
Christ,  which  it  commemorates.  And  yet  the 
infidel  wants  proof ! — Once  more: 

5.  If  the  blessed  volume  before  me  be  not 
divinely  inspired,  how  shall  we  account  for  the 
fact  that  it  contains  some  five  or  six  hundred 
prophecies  which  have  been  most  literally  and 
remarkably  fulfilled?  and  which,  I  presume,  no 
one  who  has  a  regard  for  his  reputation,  as  a 
scholar,  will  dare  to  deny!  Here,  a  wide  field 
is  presented  to  our  view — we  have  not  time  to 
expose  it  very  extensively — ^let  me  present  only 
a  few  prophecies,  as  a  specimen  of  the  rest. 
Some  three  thousand  years  ago,  it  was  pre- 
dicted that  the  Jews  should  be  a  peculiar  peo- 
ple. Have  they  not  been  a  peculiar  people,  for 
niany  ages  past?  Are  they  not  a  peculiar 
people,  at  the  present  time  ?  It  was  predicted 
that  they  should  be  scattered  over  the  face  of 
the  earth?  And  where  is  the  kingdom,  under 
heaven,  where  some  of  this  peculiar  people  are 
not  found  ?     It  was  predicted  that  they  should 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  23 

be  oppressed  and  peeled;  and,  those  who  are 
acquainted  with  their  history  know  that  this 
prediction  also,  has  been  most  remarkably  ful- 
filled. It  was  predicted  that  they  should  dwell 
alone  and  not  be  reckoned  amonor  the  nations ; 
and  are  they  not  at  this  very  day,  although 
scattered  over  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  yet 
really  a  distinct  people,  isolated  and  alone? 
"The  children  of  Israel,"  says  the  pi'ophet  Ro- 
sea, "shall  abide  many  days  without  a  king; 
and  without  a  prince;  and  without  a  sacrifice; 
and  without  an  image ;  and  without  an  ephod ; 
and  without  teraphim."  Hos.  iii.  4.  And  is 
not  this  their  precise  condition  at  the  present 
moment?  And  have  they  not  already  con- 
tiued  thus  to  abide,  lo!  these  many  days?  By 
estimation  there  are,  at  this  time,  about  eight 
millions  of  Jews  Upon  the  earth;  a  sufficient 
number  to  form  a  powerful  empire,  or  more 
glorious  republic ;  and  yet  they  have  no  king, 
no  prince,  no  polity,  no  government  of  their 
own,  and  this  has  been  the  case  for  eiirhteen 
hundred  years !  How  astonishing  are  these 
prophecies,  and  how  exact  their  fulfilment! 
and  how  certainly  true  are  the  words  of  the 
apostle  Peter-:  "  Prophecy  came  not  in  old  time 
by  the  will  of  man,  but  holy  men  of  God  spake 
as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  Of 
Ishmael  it  was  predicted,  that  he  should  be- 
come a  great  nation;  that  he  should  be  a  wild 
man,  -and  that  his  hand  should  be  against  every 


24  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

man,  and  every  man's  hand  against  him;  and 
that  he  should  dwell  in  the  presence  of  all  his 
brethren;  Gen.  xvi.  12;  that  is,  should  never 
be  subdued,  or  brought  into  subjection.  Those 
acquainted  with  the  Arabs,  know  that  these 
predictions  have  been  fulfilled  to  the  very  let- 
ter ;  and  with  regard  to  the  independence 
which  they  should  ever  maintain,  it  is  remark- 
able, that,  although  special  efforts  have  been 
made  by  powerful  monarchs,  in  various  ages, 
to  put  them  down,  these  efforts  have  all,  ulti- 
mately, proved  unsuccessful !  Sesostris,  Cyrus, 
Pompey,  Trajan,  and  many  other  great  con- 
querors, aimed  at  subjugating  them,  but  never 
succeeded !  At  the  present  day,  the  Arabs, 
although  wandering  and  predatory,  are  still  an 
independent  people;  like  the  wild  ass,  whose 
home  is  the  wilderness ;  whose  pasture  is  the 
mountains;  and  who  searcheth  after  every 
green  thing.  The  prophecies  in  relation  to 
Nineveh,  Babylon,  Tyre,  and  Egypt,  have  also 
received  their  most  exact  accomplishment — 
their  present  condition,  according  to  the  state- 
ments of  modern  travellers,  being  precisely 
what  was  predicted  so  many  thousand  years 
ago  With  regard  to  Egypt,  I  will  mention  a 
fact  which  may  have  escaped  the  notice  of 
some :  Egypt,  says  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  (xxix. 
15,)  shall  never  exalt  itself  any  more  over  the 
nations.  This  was  a  bold  prophecy  when  we 
consider  when  it  was  uttered ;  but  the  subse- 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  25 

quent  history  of  Egypt  has  been  in  exact  ac- 
cordance with  the  prediction.  But  the  particu- 
lar point  to  which  I  refer  is  this :  Some  three 
or  four  years  since,  Mehemet  AH,  the  Pacha 
of  Egypt,  was  upon  the  very  point  of  subvert- 
ing the  Turkish  empire;  and  would  have  done 
it,  ha(J  not  the  sovereigns  of  Russia,  Prussia, 
Austria,  and  Great  Britain  interposed.  And 
this  they,  did,  jnark!  not  to  accomplish  the 
prophecy,  but  to  preserve  the  balance  of  power. 
The  prophecies  w^hich  relate  to  the  Messiah 
are  about  two  hundred  in  number,  which  have 
in  every  particular  been  exactly  fulfilled,  in 
our  blessed  Redeemer.  Let  me  mention  only 
a  very  few.*  It  was  predicted  of  him  that  he 
should  be  despised  and  rejected  by  his  own 
people,  the  Jews;  that  he  should  lift  up  a 
standard  to  the  Gentiles;  to  him  should  the 
gathering  of  the  Gentiles  be ;  and  in  him  shall 
the  Gentiles  trust.  Now  this  is  .prophecy. 
What  is  history?  In  exact  accordance  with 
the  prophecy.  Was  Christ  to  be  despised  and 
rejected  by  his  own  people,  the  Jews?  He 
came  unto  his  own,-  says  John,  and  his  own 
received  him  not.  And  they,  that  is,  the  Jews, 
says  Luke,  were  instant  with  loud  voices  in 
the  temple,  requiring  that  he  might  be  cruci- 
fied. Was  Christ  to  lift  up  a  standard  to  the 
Gentiles  ?  and  was  not  Saul  of  Tarsus  con- 

*  Isaiah  liii.  3.  xlix.  22.    Gen.  xlix.  10.  xi.  10.   Mat.xii.  21. 

3 


26  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

verted,  and  made  the  great  apostle  of  the  Gen- 
tiles? Moreover,  to  him  W3.s  the  gathering  of 
the  Gentiles  to  be.  And  who  are  they  now, 
who  profess  the  Christian  faith  ?  Are  they  not 
Gentiles?  Few  Jews,  but  many  Gentiles!  On 
the  morning  of  the  Christian  Sabbath,  the 
doors  of  ten  thousand  sanctuaries  are  thrown 
open,  and  see  the  multitudes  who  gather  around 
the  standard  of  the  cross !  Are  they  Jews  ?  are 
they  not  Gentiles  ?  But  it  is  added :  In  him 
shall  the  Gentiles  trust.  We  are  all  Gentiles, 
I  suppose,  who  are  here  to-day ;  and  now  tell 
me,  my  brother,  my  sister — O  ye  precious  sons 
and  daughters  of  Zion!  tell  me,  in  whom  do 
you  trust  for  salvation  ?  Is  it  not  in  the  cruci- 
fied Nazarene?  And  in  whom  did  that  dear 
mother  of  yours  trust  in  a  dying  hour,  when 
she  so  sweetly  smiled,  and  said  to  you,  "Meet 
me  in  heaven" — in  whom  did  she  trust?  Was 
it  not  in  Him  who  by  the  Jews  was  despised 
and  rejected?  I  too  am  a  Gentile,  and  I  am  not 
ashamed  to  say,  that  this  same  blessed  Saviour 
is  my  only  hope.  Give  me  Christ  or  else  I 
die !  This  day,  then,  have  we  evidence  before 
our  own  eyes,  and  in  our  own  hearts,  that  the 
prophecies  are  true,  and  the  Bible  is  true.  Yet 
the  infidel  rejects  the  sacred  volume!  And 
why?  O !  because  he  is  a  reasonable  man, 
and  he  cannot  without  a  prostration  of  every 
thing  like  reason,  embrace  a  system  so  prepos- 
terous and  absurd !     Ah !    if  I  mistake  not, 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  27 

when  afflictions  shall  make  him  more  sober, 
and  the  near  prospect  of  death  shall  make  him 
more  thoughtful,  he  will  then  see  the  evidence 
of  the  truth  of  the  Bible  more  clearly  than  he 
does  now!  Like  Ethan  Allen,  who,  being 
asked  by  a  dying  daughter  whether  she  should 
believe  what  her  pious  mother  had  taught  her, 
or  he?  replied  with  tears,  "My  daughter,  you 
had  better  believe  what  your  mother  has  taught 
you."  O  how  plain  it  is,  and  how  appropriate 
is  our  text :  "  Their  rock  is  not  as  our  Rock, 
even  our  enemies  themselves  being  judges." 

II.  The  supreme  excellence  or  decided  supe- 
riority of  the  Christian  religion,  appears  also  in 
reference  to  its  moral  influence.  And  here,  if  I 
mistake  not,  we  have  public  sentiment  fully  on 
our  side :  let  a  thorough-going  infidel  be  truly 
converted,  and  become  a  real  Christian;  will 
not  all  persons  expect  to  see  an  improvement 
in  his  moral  character?  but,  on  the  other  hand, 
let  a  real  Christian  (if  it  were  possible)  become 
a  thorough-going  infidel,  and  is  there  a  man 
upon  the  face  of  the  earth  who  anticipates  an 
improvement  in  his  moral  character?  Would 
there  not  rather  be  a  suspicion  waked  up  in  the 
bosoms  of  all  that  that  man  has  become  loose  in 
his  morals,  and,  therefore,  has  become  loose  in 
his  sentiments?  Even  the  infidel  himself  is 
frequently  constrained  to  pay  homage  to  the 
Christian  system,  in  relation  to  its  moral  influ- 
ence.  For  example — here  is  an  infidel  about  to 


28  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

die :  he  makes  his  will,  and,  greatly  desiring 
that  his  children  should  not  be  defrauded,  he 
"wishes  to  fix  upon  some  honest  man  to  act  as 
executor ;  would  he  not  rather  select  a  man  that 
he  believes  to  be  a  real  and  consistent  Christian, 
than  an  open  and  avowed  infidel  ?  Now  these 
things  speak  volumes.  The  fact  is,  the  general 
sentiment  is  this,  that  however  imperfect  some 
professors  of  religion  may  be,  yet  Christianity 
itself  is  most  excellent;  that  it  elevates  the 
standard  of  morals,  and  has  a  direct  and  power- 
ful tendency  to  purify  the  heart  and  improve 
the  character  of  all  who  are  really  and  truly 
brought  under  its  moral  influence;  and  hence  it 
is  expected  to  make  better  husbands  and  better 
wives,  better  parents  and  better  children,  better 
masters  and  better  servants;  yea,  better  alto- 
gether. This  is  the  general  sentiment ;  and  I 
will  now  show  that  this  general  sentiment  is 
w^ell  based.  This  we  would  argue  from  the 
character  of  its  precepts,  and  the  power  of  its 
motives.  First,  from  the  character  of  its  pre- 
cepts.— It  is  evident,  the  more  perfect  the  pre- 
cepts, the  more  happy  their  influence  upon  moral 
character.  We  have  shown  that  the  precepts  of 
the  Bible  bear  the  stamp  of  absolute  perfection; 
of  course,  then,  so  far  as  good  precepts  can  influ- 
ence the  character  of  man,  the  influence  of  the 
precepts  of  the  sacred  volume  must  be  most 
happy.  But  to  place  this  in,  perhaps,  a  stronger 
point  of  light,  observe,  there  are  three  principles 


HEVIVAL  SERMONS.  29 

of  action — fear,  interest,  and  love.  Fear,  as  a 
principle  of  action,  is  certainly  very  powerful ; 
but  it  operates  only  v^■hilst  the  rod  is  extended. 
Interest  is  also  a  very  powerful  principle,  but 
this  principle  is  not  strong  enough  to  meet  many 
cases;  for  a  man  may  know  what  is  right,  yet 
do  what  is  wrong ;  he  may  know  that  a  certain 
course  of  conduct  will  promote  his  highest  in- 
terests, but  the  principle  of  interest  fails  to  rule 
him,  not  being  strong  enough.  But  there  is  one 
principle  yet  remaining,  love;  and  that  we  may 
understand  its  true  nature  and  power,  see  that 
tender  mother — she  has  a  beloved  Joseph,  or 
some  dear  little  Benjamin,  who  is  very,  very 
sick.  See  the  mother  of  that  child !  I  can  tell 
you  where  you  can  find  her,  by  night  and  by 
day; — not  in  the  store,  nor  in  her  neighbour's 
house,  nor  even  in  the  sanctuary;  no !  but  by 
the  couch  of  her  suffering  child !  This  mother  is 
a  lady,  born  in  affluence,  and  delicately  brought 
up ;  and  yet,  only  see,  how  kind  and  unremit- 
ting she  is  in  her  attentions  to  her  suffering 
child  !  She  is  a  lady,  I  say,  born  in  affluence, 
and  tenderly  brought  up,  and  yet  she  even  takes 
a  positive  pleasure  in  performing  the  most  me- 
nial offices  for  her  poor  little  darling.  Now 
what  is  it  that  binds  this  mother  to  the  couch  of 
her  suffering  child?  What  is  it  that  makes  her 
so  kind  and  unremitting  in  her  attentions  ?  Is  it 
fear  ?  There  is  no  rod  over  her.  Is  it  interest? 
The  idea  of  interest  never  once  enters  her  mind. 


30  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

What  is  it  then  ?  Why  it  is  love !  Yes,  it  is 
love  which  binds  her  to  the  couch  of  her  suffer- 
ing child.  It  is  love  which  makes  her  take  a 
positive  pleasure  in  performing  the  most  menial 
offices  for  the  poor  little  sufferer.  Take  away 
that  mother  (it  will  require  a  strong  arm  to  do 
this!) — reach  out  the  arm  of  a  Hercules,  and  tear 
away  that  mother — substitute  a  hireling.  Bring 
rewards  and  punishments  to  bear  upon  that  hire- 
ling, to  their  greatest  possible  extent,  and  I  will 
venture  to  affirm,  that  there  is  no  hireling  on 
earth  that  will  take  a  mother's  place !  And  why  ? 
For  this  simple  reason — the  mother  is  under 
the  influence  of  the  strongest  feeling  which  can 
animate  the  human  bosom — ^love.  Verily  there 
is  no  principle  of  action  like  it,  so  strong,  so  uni- 
form, so  lasting !  and,  moreover,  who  does  not 
know  that  the  service  which  love  prompts,  is  of 
all  others  the  most  pleasant  and  desirable  ?  Now 
is  it  not  remarkable  that,  in, our  religion,  this  is 
made  the  great  principle  of  moral  action.  Yes, 
not  fear,  nor  interest,  but  love.  Love,  says  the 
apostle,  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law.  And  to  make 
the  matter  yet  more  remarkable,  this  principle 
being  fixed  upon,  to  wake  it  up  and  give  it  new 
power  and  energy  over  the  human  soul,  God 
himself  has  set  us  an  example  of  love  in  giving 
his  Son,  his  only  begotten  and  well-beloved 
Son,  to  die  for  our  redemption.  And  now, 
candid  man,  speak,!  Does  not  this  look  like  a 
religion  which  comes  from  God  ?    If  any  reli- 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  31 

gion  can  have  a  liappy  influence  upon  moral 
character,  must  it  not  be  that  religion,  all  the 
precepts  of  which  are  summed  up  in  love  ?  Yet 
the  infidel  M^ants  proof! ! 

With  regard,  to  the  motives  which  are,  in  the 
Bible,  brought  to  bear  upon  the  moral  character 
of  man,<thej  are  absolutely  the  strongest  which 
can  exist.  This  is  no  rhetorical  figure,  no  idle 
declamation ;  it  is  simple,  undeniable  fact.  Here 
is  the  demonstration.  Are  the  motives  to  vir- 
tuous living  drawn  in  the  Scriptures,  from  God? 
They  are ;  and  now,  is  there  any  god  in  the 
universe  greater  than  the  God  w^hom  the  Bible 
reveals?  Are  they  drawn  from  the  joys  of  hea- 
ven ?  They  are ;  and  are  there  any  joys  greater 
than  the  joys  of  heaven?  Are  they  drawn  from 
the  torments  of  the  damned  in  hell?  They  are ; 
and  are  there  any  torments  more  tormenting  than 
the  torments  of  the  damned  in  hell?  Are  they 
drawn  from  the  love  of  Christ  ?  They  are ;  and 
is  there  any  love  so  strong,  so  touching,  so  soul- 
subduing,  as  the  love  of  Christ,  who,  according 
to  the  Scriptures,  died  on  the  cross  for  us  ?  Are 
the  motives  drawn  from  eternity  ?  They  are ; 
and  is  there  any  duration  longer  than  that  of 
eternity?  Thus  you  perceive  that  the  motives 
to  holy  living,  in  the  Bible,  are  not  only  drawn 
from  three  worlds,  heaven,  earth,  and  hell,  in 
short,  from  all  quarters,  but  they  are  literally 
and  absolutely  the  strongest  which,  in  the  very 
nature  of  the  case,  can  be  brought  to  bear  upon 


32  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

the  moral  character  of  man.  The  fact  is,  Chris- 
tianity goes  in  advance,  lays  the  hand  of  a  mas- 
ter upon  every  source  of  motive,  and  monopo- 
lizes them  all.  And  now,  suppose  infidelity 
vi^ould  urge  motives  to  holy,  living,  (which,  how- 
ever, is  not  very  probable,)  whence  will  it  derive 
its  motives?  From  God?  The  infidel  is  not 
very  certain  that  there  is  a  God.  Will  infidelity 
draw  its  motives  from  the  joys  of  heaven  ?  These, 
he  suspects,  are  only  the  dreams  of  the  visionary 
enthusiast.  Shall  motives  be  drawn  from  the 
torments  of  hell  ?  The  infidel  is  quite  sure  that 
there  is  no  such  place  as  that.  Shall  motives 
be  drawn  from  love  ?  Alas !  infidelity  presents, 
in  its  system,  no  dying  Saviour,  no  cross  crim- 
soned with  atoning  blood !  Shall  the  motives 
then  be  drawn  from  eternity?-  The  infidel 
strongly  suspects  that  death  is  an  eternal  sleep. 
O,  what  a  poor  thing  infidelity  is,  when  seen  in 
the  undress  of  its  true  character  !  How  lean ! 
how  haggard !  how  shrivelled !  aye,  and  may  I 
not  add,  how  frightful,  too !  I  have  mentioned, 
that  if  Christianity  should  universally  prevail, 
if  its  precepts  were  acted  upon  in  all  the  length 
and  breadth  of  their  requirements,  there  would 
be  no  occasion  for  bolts,  nor  bars,  nor  jails,  nor 
penitentiaries,  nor  any  thing  of  the  kind,  for  man 
would  become  as  an  angel,  and  earth  as  a  para- 
dise. But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  infidelity  should 
prevail,  does  any  man  in  his  senses  believe  that 
there  would  be  no  occasion  for  bolts,  nor  bars, 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  33 

nor  jails,  nor  penitentiaries,  nor  any  thing  of  the 
kind  ? — that  man  would  become  as  an  angel,  or 
earth  as  a. paradise?  I  think  not.  In  the  provi- 
dence of  God  infidelity  did  once  prevail — where? 
In  revolutionary  France — when?  During  that 
period  so  properly  called  "  the  reign  of  terror." 
Yes,  infidelity  did  then  prevail,  for  at  that  time 
the  National  Convention  decreed  that  there  was 
no  God.  The  Sabbath  was  abolished ;  churches 
were  turned  into  temples  of  reason ;  death  w^as 
declared  to  be  an  eternal  sleep ;  and  the  Bible 
was  dragged  along  the  streets  of  Lyons  in  a  way 
of  derision  and  contempt.  Yes,  I  repeat  it,  infi- 
delity then  prevailed,  and  verily  its  fruits  were 
the  fruits  of  Sodom,  and  its  clusters  the  clusters 
of  Gomorrah.  Infidelity  then  reigned,  and  most 
frightful  was  its  reign.  Its  crown  w^as  terror, 
its  throne,  the  guillotine ;  its  sceptre,  the  battle- 
axe;  its  palace-yard,  a  field  of  blood;  and  its 
royal  robes  dripped,  and  dripped,  and  dripped 
w4th  human  gore.  All  France  was,  as  it  were, 
one  vast-  slaughter-house,  and  the  rulers  of 
France,  as  demons  from  the  bottomless  pit.  "  O, 
my  soul,  come  not  thou  into  their  secret;  unto 
their  assembly,  mine  honour,  be  not  thou 
united."  "  Their  rock  is  not  as  our  Rock,  even 
our  enemies  themselves  being  judges."  But, 
'  III.  The  supreme  excellence,  and  decided 
superiority  of  the  Christian  religion  appears 
in  reference  to  the  happiness  of  man.  What 
has  a  favourable  influence  upon  human  charac- 


34  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

ter,  must  also  have  a  favourable  influence  upon 
human  happiness,  for  these  things  are  linked 
together  like  the  balloon  and  its  car:  the  as- 
cent of  the  one,  necessarily  leads  to  the  eleva?- 
tion  of  the  other.  That  the  Christian  religion 
is  favourable  to  human  happiness,  is,  I  believe, 
the  secret  conviction,  even  of  many  who  may 
not  openly  confess  it;  hence  it  is  no  uncommon 
thing  to  hear  even  the  openly  wicked  say,  "  I 
believe  that  the  real  Christian  is  the  happiest 
man  in  the  world:"  and  I  recollect  the  remark 
of  a  certain  sceptic,  made  to  myself,  (it  was  in 
the  hour  of  affliction),  "  O  sir,  you  Christians 
have  the  advantage  of  ^usT  "  I  think  I  may 
venture  then  to  affirm,  that  general  sentiment 
is  on  our  side ;  and  I  think  I  can  show  that 
this  general  sentiment  is  well  based,  for  what 
does  the  Christian  religion  do?  It  subdues  the 
boisterous  passions  of  the  soul;  converts  the 
lion  into  a. lamb;  the  vulture  into  a  dove: 
must  not  this  be  favourable  to  human  happi- 
ness? What  does  the  Christian  religion  do? 
It  gives  exercise  to  gracious  affections.  In- 
stead of  encouraging  anger,  wrath,  malice,  re- 
venge, and  other  hateful  and  soul-tormenting 
passions,  it  disposes  its  subject  to  be  kind, 
gentle,  affectionate,  and  forgiving;  and  must 
not  this  be  favourable  to  human  happiness? 
"What  does  the  Christian  religion  do?  It  sheds 
abroad  a  Saviour's  love  in  the  heart;  gives  the 
sweet  assurance  that  our  sins  are  all  forgiven 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  35 

for  Jesus'  sake;  that  the  eternal  God  is  our 
Father;  that  heaven  is  our  home;  and  that,  if 
the  earthly  house  of  this  our  tabernacle  were 
dissolved,  we  should  have  a  building  of  God, 
a  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal,  and  on 
high.  O,  it  is  a  blessed  thing  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian; even  ''if  it  be  a  delusion,"  as  one  remarks, 
"  it  is  a  sweet  delusion,"  and,  "  if  false,  no  truth 
so  precious  as  the  lie."  O  see  the  young  con- 
vert, whose  evidences  are  bright,  and  clear; 
how  happy !  and  see  the  dying  Christian,  who 
leaves  the  world  in  the  full  hope  of  glory,  how 
triumphant !  The  Pentecostal  converts,  we  are 
told,  did  eat  their  meat  with  gladness  and 
singleness  of  heart,  praising  God.  And  when 
many  believed  in  Samaria,  we  also  learn,  that 
there  was  great  joy  in  that  city.  And  the 
beauty  of  the  thing  is  this,  that  when  afflic- 
tions come,  and  comforts  are  most  needed,  then 
the  consolations  of  religion  are  strongest  and 
most  abundant ;  for  religion  .teaches  every  child 
of  God,  that  afflictions  are  all  ordered  in  mer- 
cy; and  are  but  the  sterner  voice  of  God's  pa- 
rental love.     Yes !  and  in  the  darkest  hour, 

"Here  speaks  the  comforter,  in  God's  name  saying, 
Earth  has  no  sorrows  that  Heaven  cannot  cure." 

This,  my  brethren,  is  certainly  a  great  thing 
for  man  in  this  vale  of  tears;  iii  this  land  of 
trials,  troubles,  disappointments,  sickness,  sor- 
row, and  death.     Ah !  how  many  sad  scenes  of 


36  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

mourning  are  presented  in  this  sorrowful  world 
of  ours !  Here  some  venerated  father  cries  out, 
with  the  patriarch  of  old,  my  Joseph  is  no 
more !  and  my  grey  hairs  must  go  down  with 
sorrow  to  the  grave !  There,  some  tender  mo- 
ther weeps  over  the  darling  of  her  bosom,  as 
she  commits  its  clay  cold  form  to  its  narrow 
house.  Here,  some  affectionate  husband  la- 
ments the  untimely  death  of  the  wife  of  his 
bosom,  the  jewel  of  his  heart;  and  there,  some 
devoted  wife  mingles  bitter  tears  with  the 
clods  which  rest  upon  the  bosom  of  the  dear 
man  she  loved,  her  husband.  How  distress- 
ing! But  perhaps  this  is  not  all,  she  is  made 
the  widowed  mother  of  poor  fatherless  children 
who  look  up  to  her  for  comfort  and  support, 
and  look  in  vain.  The  prop,  the  only  support 
of  the  family,  is  taken  away!  and  they,  what 
shall  they  do?  The  heart,  bursting  with  grief, 
vents  its  complaints,  it  murmurs  and  repines, 
"Where  is  the  compassion  of  my  God?  where 
are  the  tender  mercies  of  my  heavenly  Fa- 
ther? my  affliction  is  too  much  for  my  wound- 
ed spirit!  it  is  more  than  I  can  bear!  would 
God  I  had  never  been  born !  or  would  God  I 
were  with  my  beloved,  sleeping  with  him  in 
his  silent  grave!"  Cease  mourner!  cease  thy 
complaints!  says  our  religion — It  is  God,  why 
wxepest  thou?  Remember  he  is  a  God  of 
unerring  wisdom,  and  boundless  compassion. 
Know  this;    enough  for  thee  to  kno^\~  God 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  37 

does  not  willingly  afflict  the  children  of  men, 
but  chastens  and  rebnkes,  in  covenant  love. 
Cease  monrner!  cease  thy  complaints!  thy 
heavenly  Father  speaks  to  thee:  "  Silence  my 
child ! .  what  I  do,  thou  knowest  not  now,  but 
thou  shalt  know  hereafter."  O  how  does  this 
sooth  the  smitten  heart,  and  wipe  away  the 
falling  tears !  Verily  the  consolations  of  reli- 
gion are  sweet  and  strong,  fulfilling  the  words 
of  the  psalmist :  "God  is .  our  refuge  and 
strength,  a  very  present  help  in  time  of  trou- 
ble." 

"  How  do  you  find  yourself  this  morning?" 
said  a  certain  pastor,  to  a  beloved  female  mem- 
ber of  his  church,  who  was  near  her  end. 
Grasping  the  hand  of  her  pastor,  she  replied, 
"  I  am  in  great  pain,  but  0 !  I  am  happy !  very 
happy !"  How  diff'erent  was  it  with  Hume's 
mother,  who,  when  in  deep  aflflietion,  said  to 
her  son,  "  My  son,  you  have  taken  away  my 
religion,  and  now  tell  me  something  to  comfort 
me:"  but  no  comfort  could  he  give,  and  none 
could  she  receive.  "  God  of  Queen  Clotilda," 
cried  out  the  infidel  Clovis  I.,  of  France,  when 
in  trouble  on  the  field  of  battle,  "God  of  Queen 
Clotilda!  grant  me  the  victory!"  Why  did 
he  not  call  upon  his  ow^n  God  ?  Saunderson, 
who  was  a  great  admirer  of  Sir  Isaac  New- 
ton's talents,  and  w^ho  made  light  of  his  reli- 
gion in  health,  was,  nevertheless,  heard  to  say 
in  dismal  accents  on  a  dying  bed,  "  God  of  Sir 


38  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

Isaac  Newton,  have  mercy  on  me!"  Why  this 
changing  of  gods  in  a  dying  hour  ?  And  it  is 
a  remarkable  fact,  if  an  infidel  have  a  wife 
who  is  a  Christian,  he  is  very  willing  in  case 
of  her  death,  to  have  the  minister  attending 
her  funeral,  to  say,  "  My  friends,  here  we  have 
a  daughter  of  Zion  shrouded  and  prepared  for 
the  burying.  You  all  knew  her  very  well. 
She  was  a  Christian,  she  lived  the  life  of  the 
Christian;  she  died  the  Christian's  death,  and 
is  gone  to  the  Christian's  rest,  the  pilgririi's 
home."  But,  suppose  this  wife  of  his  had 
been  as  thorough  going  an  infidel  as  himself, 
and  the  minister,  at  her  funeral,  should  say, 
"  My  friends,  here  is  one  before  us,  shrouded 
and  prepared  for  the  burying.  You  all  knew 
her  well.  She  was  a  thorough  going  infidel. 
She  lived  the  life  of  an  infidel,  died  his  death, 
and  is  gone  to  his  place!"  Would  this  please 
him?  Nay,  verily,  for  there  are  certain  sea- 
sons when  the  mind  will  be  sober,  and  the 
voice  of  truth  will  be  heard !  You  have  heard, 
no  doubt,  of  many  an  infidel  on  a  dying  bed, 
wishing  that  he  was  a  good  Christian,  but  did 
you  ever  hear  of  a  single  Christian  on  a  dying 
bed,  wishing  that  he  was  a  good  infidel? 
No !  never !  never !  never !  The  case  is  clear. 
"  Their  rock  is  not  as  our  Rock,  even  our  ene- 
mies themselves  being  judges."  Well,  my 
brethren,  we  must  all  die.  We  all  wish  to  die 
happy — certainly,  at  least,   on  the  safe  side. 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  39 

Now  let  it  be  remembered,  that  whilst  the  bed 
of  death  is  most  generally  a  terrible  place  for 
the  infidel,  "  the  chamber  where  the  Christian 
meets  his  fate  is  privileged  beyond  the  com- 
mon walks  of  virtuous  life,  quite  on  the  verge 
of  heaven."  Here,  we  will  suppose,  is  a  dor- 
mitory on  the  right,  where  Christians  are 
breathing  their  last.  Here,  on  the  left,  is  an- 
other dormitory,  in  which  infidels  are  giving 
up  the  ghost.  Let  us  visit,  first,  the  dormitory 
upon  the  right.  Who  is  that  who  is  just  ex- 
piring? It  is  the  very  pious  Halyburton. 
How  serene!  how  calm!  But,  he  is  going  to 
speak.  Hark ! .  let  us  catch  some  of  his  last 
words.  "It  is  no  easy  thing  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian," says  he,  "  but,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I 
have. got  the  victory!  Now,  I  know,  Ifeel,  I 
believe !  I  rejoice !  I  feed  on  manna !  I  have 
angel's  food!  Mine  eyes  shall  see  my  Re- 
deemer! O  the  glory!  the  unspeakable  glory! 
My  heart  is  full !  my  heart  is  full !" 

I  " sure  the  last  end 

or  the  good  man,  is  peace!  How  calm  his  exit! 
Night  dews  fall  not  more  gently  to  the  ground; 
Nor  weary,  worn  out  winds  expire  so  soft!" 

"  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let 
my  last  end  be  like  his!"  Now,  let  us  pass 
over  to  the  dormitory  on  the  left.  AVho  is  that 
just  expiring?  It  is  the  wretched  Altamont; 
(a  fictitious  name,  but  descriptive  of  a  real 
case.)    O  how  distorted  are  his  features!  and 


40  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

how  full  of  agony  does  lie  seem  to  be !  The 
clock  strikes,  and  he  exclaims,  "  0  time !.  time ! 
it  is  lit  that  thou  shouldst  thus  strike  thy  mur- 
derer to  the  heart !  How  art  thou  fled  for  ever  ! 
A  month !  a  day,!  I  ask  not  for  years,  though 
,an  age  were  too  little  to  fit  me  for  the  w^ork 
which  I  have  to  do !"  Another  groan,  and  he 
cries  out  in  anguish  -unutterable :  "  My  princi- 
ples have  poisoned  my  friend !  my  extrava- 
gance has  beggared  my  boy !  my  unkindness 
has  murdered  my  wife  !  And  is  there  another 
hell  ?  O  thou  blasphemed,  yet  indulgent  Lord 
God  !  hell  itself  is  a  refuge  if  it  hide  me  from 
thy  frown !''  Here  w^e  have  even  on  earth,  the 
first  notes  of  the  wailings  of  the  damned  in  the 
world  to  come !  Tell  me  not  of  the  peaceful 
death  of  David  Hume.  His  nurse  has  told 
some  tales  of  horror !  but  let  that  pass.  How 
did  he  die,  as  the  most  favorable  account  repre- 
sents ?  He  died  playing  at  cards,  and  jesting 
about  Charon  and  his  boat !  Does  it  become 
the  dignity  of  man,  or  the  solemnity  of  the 
hour  of  dissolution,  in  any  case,  to  leave  .the 
world  in  this  W2ij  ?  Believe  me,  it  was  only  a 
desperatie  effort  to  bar  serious  thought ! — like 
the  school-boy,  passing  through  the  grave  yard 
at  night,  with  satchel  in  his  hand, 

"  Whistling  aloud  to  bear  his  courage  up." 

Thank  God,  the  Christian  has  no  occasion 
for  any  artificial  excitement  of  this  kind,  for,  to 


REVIVAL    SERMONS,  41 

him,  "to  die  is  gain."  Do  you  demand  further 
proof?  Let  us  make  another  visit  to  the  dor- 
mitory *on  the  right.  How  pleasant  is  every 
thing  around  this  hallowed  spot !  Who  is  that 
just  sinking  in  the  arms  of  death?  It  is  Ed- 
ward Payson.  O  how  happy  he  looks !  But 
he  is  going  to  speak;  what  is  his  language? 
*'  I  am  going  to  Mount  Zion,"  says  he,  "I  am 
going  to  the  city  of  the  living  God !  the  hea- 
venly Jerusalem !  to  an  innumerable  company 
of  angels !  to  the  general  assembly  and  church 
of  the  first  born,  whose  names  are  written  in 
heaven.  I  swim  in  a  river  of  pleasure  !  I  swim 
in  a  flood  of  glory!"  And  who  is  that  in  the 
next  chamber,  who  is  bidding  his  friends  a 
final  adieu?  It  is  William  C.  Walton,  the 
associate  of  my  college  days;  and  what  are 
his  dying  words?  They  are  very  beautiful 
and  very  sweet.  "  The  sting  of  death  is  gone," 
says  he,  "the.  grave  is  disrobed  of  its  terrors! 
Peace  like  a  river  flows  into  my  soul!  I  am 
now  in  the  Jordan  of  death,  and,  blessed  be 
God,  its  waters  do  not  cover  me !  I  shall  see 
Jesus ! — See  Jesus  !  what  a  thought  that  is  ! 
O  glorious  Saviour!"  Surely,  my  brethren, 
the  curtains  of  light  and  glory  are  hung  around 
this  dormitory ;  but  around  the  dormitory  on 
the  left,  the  curtains  of  gloom  and  despair! 
Over  this  waves  the  white  banner  of  the  Prince 
of  Peace !  Over  that  the  black  banner  of  Apol- 
lyon!     Here,  are  choirs  of  angels  waiting  to 

4 


42  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

sing  the  pilgrim  to  his  rest.  There,  ministers 
of  vengeance,  ready  to  hurry  the  guilty  soul  of 
the  dying  sinner,  reluctantly,  O  how  reluct- 
antly, before  thy  throne,  thrice  holy  God !  And 
now,  my  dear  friends,  one  and  all,  remember, 
we  must  die:  we  cannot  help  it;  and  remember, 
after  death  comes  the  judgment !  and  once  lost, 
lost  for  ever !  When  Death's  leaden  sceptre  is 
laid  upon  our  cold  bosoms,  no  mistakes  can  be 
rectified  any  more ;  for,  so  soon  as  the  breath 
leaves  the  body,  the  decree  of  an  immutable 
God  rolls  over  the  shrouded  form  :  "He  that  is 
filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still;  and  he  that  is 
holy,  let  him  be  holy  still."  In  which  dormi- 
tory would  you  rather  die?  Immortal  man! 
take  care !  great  interests  are  at  stake — see  to 
it,  that  you  be  upon  the  safe  side ;  for,  I  repeat 
it,  once  lost,  you  are  lost  for  ever! 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  43 


SERMON  II. 

THE    GREATNESS    OF    GOD. 
O  Lord,  my  God,  thou  art  very  great. — Psalm  civ.  1. 

One  reason  why  many  persons  habitually  and 
fearlessly  indulge  in  sin,  is,  that  they  know- 
not  God.  "  Thou  thoughtest,"  says  he,  "  that 
I  was  altogether  such  an  one  as  thyself." 
Psalm  1.  21.  This  being  the  case,  it  is  im- 
mensely important  that  we  seek  to  know 
God — that  we  seek  to  have  some  proper  con- 
ceptions of  his  true  character  and  dignity — of 
his  exceeding  greatness  and  majesty.  But 
here,  the  words  of  Zophar  are  brought  to  our 
recollection :  "  Canst  thou  by  searching  find 
out  God?  Canst  thou  find  out  the  Almighty 
to  perfection  ?  It  is  high  as  heaven,  what  canst 
thou  do  ?  It  is  deeper  than  hell,  what  canst 
thou  know?  The  measure  thereof  is  longer 
than  the  earth;  it  is  broader  than  the  sea." 
Job  xi.  7,  8,  9.  We  admit  it;  we  know  full 
well  that  it  is  beyond  a  mortal's  mind,  beyond 
an  angel's  power  "to  casta  thought  half-way 
to  God."  Yet  it  is  right  and  proper  to  push 
our  inquiries  here,  for  what  though  we  cannot 


44  REVIVAL   SERMONS. 

"rise  to  the  height  of  this  great  argument," 
nor  grasp  the  boundless  theme,  the  effort  may 
at  least  serve  to  expand  the  mind,  and  give  us 
views  of  our  Maker's  grandeur  which  we  ne- 
ver had  before. 

The  man  who  stands  upon  the  shore  of 
some  vast  ocean,  and  casts  his  eyes  over  the 
immeasurable  deep  before  him,  sees,  it  is 
true,  no  bounds;  yet  the  contemplation  of  this 
sublime  and  magnificent  scene  greatly  ele- 
vates his  mind,  and  gives  him  conceptions  of 
the  immensity  of  the  ocean,  both  new  and 
grand !  Who  can  grasp  the  amplitude  of  crea- 
tion? who  can  cast  his  thoughts  over  all  the 
works  of  God?  who  can  measure  the  great 
temple  of  universal  nature,  and  tell  its  height 
and  its  depth,  its  length  and  its  breadth  ?  Not 
a  human  being  upon  the  face  of  the  earth;  yet, 
certainly,  he  who  has  studied  the  subject  has 
more  enlarged  and  correct  ideas  of  it,  than  he 
who  has  not.  Even  so,  what  though  after  all 
our  researches  we  cannot  "  find  out  the  Al- 
mighty unto  perfection,"  the  effort  may,  in 
some  measure,  elevate  and  expand  the  mind, 
and  enable  us  with  feelings  of  more  profound 
veneration  and  awe,  to  utter  the  language  of 
our  text :  "  0  Lord,  my  God,  thou  art  very 
great."  The  greatness  of  God  appears  in  seve- 
ral things : 

1.  In  comparison  with  the  kings  of  the 
earth ;  and  to  this  the  Psalmist  has  special  re- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  45 

ference  in  the  words  connected  with  our  text. 
The  kinofs  of  the  earth  are  sometimes  termed 
great;  thus  we  read  of  Alexander  the  Great,  of 
Constantino  the  Great,  and  Frederick  the  Great, 
but,  verily,  in  comparison  with  the  God  of  hea- 
ven, their  greatness  dwindles  into  insignifi- 
cance— dwindles  into  nothing!  Have  they 
thrones?  Their  thrones  are  upon  the  earth; 
God's  throne  is  in  the  heavens,  "high  above 
all  height."  Have  they  robes?  God's  robes 
are  robes  of  light  and  majesty.  .  Have  they  pa- 
vilions? He  stretcheth  forth  the  heavens  as  his 
pavilions,  and  spreadeth  them  out  as  a  tent  to 
dwell  in.  Have  they  chariots?  He  maketh  the 
clouds  his  chariot — he  walketh  upon  the  wings 
of  the  wind. .  Have  they  kingdoms?  The 
whole  universe  is  God's  kingdom,  and  literally 
he  ruleth  over  all.  And  whereas  the  mightiest 
potentates  of  the  earth  are  mortal,  and  must 
die,  God  is  in  his  own  nature  immortal,  and 
never  dies,  but  lifts  his  hand  to  heaven  and 
says,  I  live  for  ever !  Comparing,  then,  the 
God  of  heaven  with  the  monarch  of  the  earth, 
as  the  Psalmist  has  done,  we  may  say  with 
great  emphasis,  "  O  Lord,  my  God,  thou  art 
very  great."  The  greatness  of  God  also  ap- 
pears, 

2.  In  certain  passages  of  Scripture  which 
speak  sublimely  of  him.  Thus,  Habakkuk, 
the  prophet,  says,  "  God  came  from  Teman, 
and  the  Holy  One  from  Mount  Paran,   Selah. 


46  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

His  glory  covered  the  heavens,  and  the  earth 
was  full  of  his  praise.  Before  him  went  the 
pestilence,  and  burning  coals  went  forth  at  his 
feet.  He  stood  and  measured  the  earth:  he 
beheld  and  drove  asunder  the  nations ;  the 
everlasting  mountains  were  scattered,  the  per- 
petual hills  did  bow:  his  ways  are  everlast- 
ing !"  Hab.  iii.  3-6.  "  In  my  distress," '  says 
the  Psalmist,  "  I  called  upon  the  Lord,  and  he 
heard  my  voice  out  of  his  temple.  Then  the 
earth  shook  and  trembled ;  the  foundations  also 
of  the  hills  moved  and  were  shaken,  because 
he  was  wroth.  He  bowed  the  heavens  also,  and 
came  down,  and  darkness  was  under  his  feet : 
and  he  rode  upon  a  cherub,  and  did  fly ;  yea,  he 
did  fly  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind.  He  made 
darkness  his  secret  place,  his  pavilion  round 
about  him  were  dark  waters  and  thick  clouds 
of  the  skies.  The  Lord  also  thundered  in  the 
heavens,  and  the  Highest  gave  his  voice ;  hail- 
stones and  coals  of  fire.  Yea,  he  sent  out  his 
arrows,  and  scattered  them;  and  he  shot  out 
lightnings  and  discomfited  them.  Then  the 
channels  of  waters  were  seen,  and  the  founda- 
tions of  the  world  were  discovered ;  at  thy  re- 
buke, O  Lord,  at  the  blast  of  the  breath  of  thy 
nostrils."  Psalm  xviii.  6-15.  And  what  an 
idea  of  the  exceeding  greatness  of  God  does 
Isaiah  give,  when  speaking  of  him  be  says: 
"  Who  hath  measured  the  waters  in  the  hollow 
of  his  hand ;  and  meted  out  heaven  with  the 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  47 

span,  and' comprehended  the  dust  of  the  earth 
in  a  measure,  and  weighed  the.  mountains  in 
scales,  and  the  hills  in  a  balance?  Behold  the 
nations  are  as  a  drop  of  the  bucket,  and  are 
counted  as  the  small  dust  of  the  balance ;  be- 
hold, he  taketh  up  the  isles  as  a  very  little 
thing.  And  Lebanon  is  not  sufficient  to  burn, 
nor  the  beasts  thereof  sufficient  for  a  burnt- 
offering.  All  nations  before  him  are  as  no- 
thing, and  they  are  counted  to  him  less  than 
nothing,  and  vanity."  Isaiah 'xl.  12.  15,  16,  17. 
Once  more :  What  a  sublime  idea  of  the  great- 
ness of  God  does  the  Apostle  John  give  in 
these  words:  "  And  I  saw  a  great  white  throne, 
and  him  that  sat  on  it,  from  whose  face  the 
heaven  and  the  earth  fled  away,  and  there 
was  no  place  found  for  them :  and  I  saw  the 
dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God."  Rev. 
XX.  11,  12.  Here  you  will  observe  we  have 
described  the  appearing  of  the  great  God,  as 
final  Judge,  and  as  an  effisct  of  his  appearance, 
the  vanishing  away  of  the  heavens  and  the 
earth..  As  the  sun,  rising  in  full  splendor, 
with  its  effulgent  beams  scatters  the  shades  of 
night  and  the  mists  of  the  morning,  even  so,  at 
the  coming  of  the  great  God  as  final  Judge, 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  substantial  as  they 
are,  shall  be  only  as  the  shades  of  the  night, 
and  the  mists  of  the  morning.  Smitten  by  the 
living  and  insufferable  effulgence  of  his  glory, 
the  heavens  and  the  earth  shall  pass  away  as 


48  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

the  shades  of  niorht  and  the  mists  of  the  morn- 

» 

ing,  and  no  place  be  found  for  them!  "0 
Lord,  my  God,  thou  art  very  great!"  But  the 
greatness  of  God  appears, 

3.  In  certain  attributes  ascribed  to  him  in 
the  sacred  volume.  For  example.  (1.)  He  is 
uncreated  and  eternal.  What  a  thought  this 
is — uncreated  and  eternal!  without  beginning 
of  days  or  end  of  years !  There  is  something 
absolutely  overwhelming  in  this  idea,  but  it  is 
clearly  presented  by  Moses  in  the  ninetieth 
psalm.  "Before  the  mountains- were  brought 
forth  or  ever  thou  hadst  formed  the  earth  and 
the  world,  even  from  everlasting  to  everlasting 
thou  art  God!"  and  we  may  well  say,  in  the 
language  of  the  pious  poet, 

"  Great  God!  how  infinite  art  thou  I . 

What  worthless  worms  are  we! 
Let  the  whole  race  of  creatures  bow 

And  pay  their  praise  to  thee  : 
Thy  throne  eternal  ages  stood, 

'Ere  seas  or  stars  were  made, 
Thou  art  the  ever  living  God 

Were  all  the  nations  dead. 
Eternity  with  all  its  years 

Stands  present  in  thy  view, 
To  thee,  there's  nothing  old  appears, 
-  Great  God,  there  's  nothing  new  !" 

0 !  who  can  measure  the-  past  eternity  of 
God?  As  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  when 
compared  with  God,  are  as  a  drop  of  the  buck- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  49 

et,  as  the  small  dust  of  the  balance,  and  even 
as  less  than  nothing,  and  vanity,  even  so  all 
the  moments  of  time  from  the  creation  of  the 
world  down  to  the  present  period,  when  com- 
pared with  the  life  of  God,  are  as  a  drop  of  the 
bucket,  as  the  small  dust  of  the  balance,  as  less 
than  nothing,  and  vanity !  Aye,  and  this  would 
be  equally  true,  if  each  of  these  moments 
should  stand  for  a  million  of  years.  O  Lord 
my  God  thou  art  very  great!  (2.)  God  is  om- 
niscient. The  wisest  men  on  earth,  and  even 
the  loftiest  angels  in  heaven,  know,  compara- 
tively, only  a  few  things;  but  God  literally 
knows  all  things;  all  things  in  heaven,  earth 
and  hell ;  all  things  past,  present  and  to  come ! 
and  mark,  not  merely  great  things,  but  small 
things.  Literally,  every  thing ;  hence  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Psalmist,  There  is  not  a  word  in 
my  tongue,  but  lo!  O  Lord  thou  knowest  it 
altogether!  No  wonder  he  adds,  Such  know- 
ledge is  too  wonderful  for  me.  It  is  high,  I 
cannot  attain  unto  it. 

"  O  wondrous  knowledge  deep  and  high  ! 
Where  can  a  creature  hide? 
Within  thy  circling  arms  I  lie, 
Beset  on  every  side." 

But  this  leads  me  to  mention  another  stupen- 
dous attribute  nearly  allied : — (3.)  God  is  omni- 
present. This  David  teaches  in  the  following 
very  beautiful  and  striking  language:  "Whith- 


50  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

er  shall  I  go  from  thy  Spirit?  or  whither  shall 
I  flee  from  thy  presence?-  If  I  ascend  up  into 
heaven,  thou  art  there:  If  I  make  my  bed  in 
hell,  behold  thou  art  there.  If  I  take  the  wings 
of  the  morning,  and  dwell  in  the  uttermost 
parts  of  the  sea,  even  there  shall  thine  hand 
lead  me,  and  thy  right  hand  shall  hold  me." 
Ps.  cxxxix.  As  the  sun  in  its  full  brightness 
shines  upon  an  extended  plain,  and  every 
blade  of  grass,  so  to  speak,  is  in  the  presence  of 
that  sun,  so  is  every  object,  great  and  small 
throughout  the  whole  universe,  in  the  pres- 
ence, the  immediate  presence  of  God.  I  hold 
in  my  hand  a  crystal  globe.  It  is  surrounded 
by  light;  it  swims  in  light;  and  light  pervades 
every  part.  This  is  another  illustration  (im- 
perfect indeed)  of  the  omnipresence  of  God. 
But  the  best  representation  of  the  matter  is 
this:  according  to  the  Scriptures,  the  eye  of 
God  is  every  where:  The  ear  of  God  is  in  every 
place ;  and  his  hand  upon  every  thing.  First, 
The  eye  of  God  is  every  where.  All  things, 
says  the  apostle,  are  naked  and  open  unto  the 
eyes  of  Him  with  whom  we  have  to  do.  Yes, 
my  brethren,  there  is  not  an  angel  in  heaven, 
there  is  not  a  devil  in  hell,  there  is  not  a  man 
on  the  earth,  aye,  and  there  is  not  a  beast 
roaming  in  the  forest,  nor  a  bird  flying  in  the 
air,  nor  a  fish  sporting  in  the  deep,  nor  a  worm 
crawling  upon  the  ground,  nor  an  atom  float- 
ing in  the  breeze,  which  may  not  say  with 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  51 

Hagar  in  the  wilderness — "  Thou  God,  seest 
me !"  Walls,  shades,  and  distance,  oftentimes 
hide  objects  from  the  view  of  man,  but  there 
are  no  walls  so  thick,  no  shades  so  dark,  nor  no 
distance  so  great  which  can  hide  any  thing 
from  his  view.  Literally,  all  things  are  naked 
and  open  unto  the  eyes  of  Him  with  whom  we 
have  to  do.  O  Lord  my  God,  thou  art  very 
great !  But  not  only  is  the  eye  of  God  every 
where,  but  his  ear  also  is  in  every  place.  As 
God  sees  every  thing  which  exists,  so  likewise 
does  he  hear  every  voice  which  is  uttered, 
whether,  if  I  may  so  speak,  it  be  loud  or  soft, 
distant  or  near.  Many  voices  being  uttered  at 
the  same  time  will  distract  our  attention.  We 
usually  attend  to  only  one  voice,  at  one  and 
the  same  time,  and  even  that  is  not  heard  when 
swallowed  up  by  a  voice  which  is  louder  still ; 
for 

"  Who  can  hear  a  shaking  leaf, 
Whenvjattling  thunders  round' us  roar?" 

But  God  can,  at  the  same  moment  of  time, 
hear  every  voice,  as  we  have  said,  whether  it 
be  loud  or  soft,  whether  it  be  distant  or  near; 
aye,  and  every  voice  distinct,  whether  it  be  the 
howling  of  the  storm,  or  the  sighing  of  the 
breeze ;  the  rattling  of  the  hail,  or  the  falling 
of  the  dew ;  the  crushing  of  the  thunderbolt,  or 
the  music  of  the  spheres ;  the  shoutings  of  the 
world  above,  or  the  wailings  of  the  world  be- 


52  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

neath.  Yes,  and  if  all  tempests  were  howling, 
and  all  thunders  roaring ;  if  all  angels  were 
.  shouting,  and  all  devils  were  wailing ;  and  if, 
in  addition  to  this,  millions  of  w^orlds  were 
dashing  together  in  wild  nproar,  yet  would  it 
be  to  God  as  if  the  pulse  of  nature  stood  still, 
and  God  were  listening  to  my  voice  alone. 
What  an  astonishing  proof  is  this  of  the  fact 
that  God  is  every  where,  not  only  seeing  every 
thing  that  exists,  but  also  hearing.  But  this  is 
not  all.  The  hand  of  God  is  upon  every  thing. 
If  your  hand  is  laid  upon  me,  assuredly  I  am 
in  your  presence;  but  the  hand  of  God,  ac- 
cording to  the  Scriptures,  is  upon  every  thing, 
therefore  every  thing  is  in  the  immediate  pre- 
sence of  God,  hence  the  language  of  the  Psalm- 
ist, already  repeated :  "  If  I  should  take  the 
wino^s  of  the  morninor  and  dwell  in  the  utter- 
most  parts  of  the  sea,  eveii  there  shall  thy 
hand  lead  me,  and  thy  right  hand  shall  hold 
me."  Man  is  confined  to  a  small  spot  of  this 
earth  which  he  inhabits,  and  this  earth  itself, 
in  comparison  with  the  universe,  is  but  as  an 
atom  or  a  point;  but  God  pervades  all  im- 
mensity !  What  an  overwhelming  thought  this! 
God,  by  his  essential  presence,  pervading  the 
whole  universe !  Well  may  we  exclaim,  with 
the  astounded  Psalmist,  "  O  Lord,  my  God, 
thou  art  very  great !"  (4.)  God  is  omnipotent, 
but  in  speaking  on  this  subject  we  may  say,  as 
Job  said:  "  The  thunder  of  his  power  who  can 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  53 

understand?"  .One  thing  we  know,  "He  can 
create  and'  he  destroy;"  yea,  he  can  dash 
whole  worlds  to  death  and  make  them  when 
he  please.  Literally  he  can  do  all  his  pleasure, 
in  heaven  and  on  earth,  throughout  all  space, 
and  throughout  all  time !  If  all  men,  if  all 
angels,  if  all  worlds  were  to  conspire  against 
him,  it  would  be  only  as  an  atom  magnifying 
itself  against  a  mountain,  or  a  feather  attempt- 
ing to  resist  a  whirlwind  !  And,  observe,  this 
omnipotent  power  is  seated  in  his  will;  he 
willed  that  innumerable  angels  should  exist, 
and  innumerable  did  exist';  he  willed  that  un- 
numbered worlds  should  be  formed,  and  un- 
numbered worlds  were  formed.  Yes,  by  his 
almighty  fiat,  by  the  mysterious  energy  of  his 
will,  the  sun,  the  earth,  fhe  moon,  the  stars,  yea, 
all  creation  rose  from  the  womb  of  unessential 
night,  and  in  beauty,  in  order,  and  grandeur, 
rolled  around  his  eternal  throne ;  and  should  he 
now  only  will  it,  the  sun,  the  earth,  the  moon, 
the  stars,  yea,  all  creation,  would  immediately 
roll  back  into  their  original  nothing,  and  give 
place  for  a  new  display  of  the  all-creating  and 
omnipotent  energy  of  his  will.  O,  this  mighty, 
MIGHTY  God  !  who,  by  the  omnipotent  power  of 
his  will,  can  bring  into  existence  men  and  an- 
gels, and  worlds  and  systems,  and  then  blot  them 
out  for  ever ;  what  can  we  say  but  utter  the  lan- 
guage of  the  text,  "  0  Lord  my  God,  thou  art 
very  great!"  But  the  greatness  of  God  appears. 


54  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

4.  In  the  mightj  work  of  creation.  We  have 
spoken  of  his  omnipotence  as  an.  attribute ;  here 
we  have  its  subhme  demonstration.  How  vast 
is  this  creation,  and  how  wonderful  in  all  its 
parts!  How  many  suns,  how  many  worlds, 
how  many  systems !  How  great  their  magni- 
tude, and  how  immense  the  space  in  which  they 
move !  Light,  w^e  are  told,  moves  at  the  rate  of 
one  hundred  and  eighty  thousand  miles  in  a 
second  of  time,  and  yet  it  will  take  five  years 
for  a  ray  of  light  to  pass  from  our  sun  to  the 
nearest  star.  But  such  facts  immediately  con- 
found and  overwhelm  us.  Let  us  take  another 
view.  The  globe  which  we  inhabit  is  really  a 
great  globe,  being  nearly  eight  thousand  miles 
in  diameter,  and  twenty- five  thousand  in  cir- 
cumference. What  towering  mountains  does 
it  contain,  what  broad  rivers,  what  vast  oceans, 
what  numerous  islands,  what  extended  conti- 
nents, and  what  a  vast  population !  If  this  world 
of  ours  is  deemed  large,  what  shall  we  say  of 
yonder  sun,  which  is  nearly  thirteen  hiindred 
thousand  times  larger  still  ?  If  a  globe  of  fire, 
as  some  suppose,  what  an  immense  fiery  globe, 
which,  if  hollow,  could  with  ease  receive  into 
its  bosom  more  than  a  million  of  such  worlds 
as  ours  is  ! — and  if  habitable,  like  our  earth,  as 
others  think,  then  what  mountains,  what  rivers, 
what  oceans,  what  islands,  and  continents,  and 
wh^t  a  population  !  And,  after  all,  what  is  this 
earth,  and  yonder  sun,  and  all  its  planets,  to  all 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  55 

the  other  suns,  and  worlds,  and  systems,  which 
telescopio  glass  have  spread  out  before  the  eye 
of  man?  Only  as  the  fringe  upon  the  garment 
of  creation,  or  as  a  small  village  in  some  vast 
empire;  for  astronomers  tell  us  that  there  are 
eighty  millions,  of  suns  discovered,  around 
which  roll,  by  estimation,  two  billions  four  hun- 
dred millions  of  worlds ;  and  all  these  may  be 
only  as  the  outskirts  of  some  still  mightier  crea- 
tion ;  and  God  made  them  all !  Not  only  so, 
he  made  them  without  materials,  and  with  infi- 
nite ease ;  he  spake,  and  it  w^as  done ;  he  com- 
manded, and  it  stood  fast.  Another  idea  is  this : 
This  immense,  immense  universe  is  all  in  mo- 
tion! each  sun,  and  world,  and  system,  rolling 
in  its  appointed  orbit  with  a  velocity  most  aston- 
ishing, swifter  than  the  whirlwind  passing  over 
the  bosom  of  the  deep,  or  the  meteor  streaming 
along  the  archway  of  heaven,  or  the  ball  thrown 
from  the  mouth  of  the  thundering  cannon.  And 
God  iDears  up  all,  as  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand  ! 
A  giant  would  stagger  under  the  weight  of  a 
small  rock,  and  an  army  of  giants  could  not  roll 
one  mountain,  or  heave  one  ocean ;  but  God 
Almighty  with  infinite  ease  bears  up  all  worlds, 
and  with  infinite  ease  can  heave  and  roll  swiftly 
the  whole  creation.  0  Lord,  my  God,  thou  art 
very  great!  But  once  more,  the  greatness  of 
God  appears, 

5.  In  the  work  of  redemption.  This  presents 
a  new  view  of  the  greatness  of  God,  exhibiting 


56  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

his  moral  grandeur ;  and  it  is  this  v^•hich  makes 
him  emphatically  and  supremely  great  indeed. 
Infinitely  great  in  goodness  as  he  is  infinitely 
great  in  power ;  infinitely  great  in  all  his  moral 
as  in  all  his  natural  perfections;  so  that,  in  the 
sublimest  sense,  it  may  be  said  of  him  that 
"  He  is  a  God,  all  o'er  consummate,  absolute, 
full  orbed,  in  his  vi^hole  round  of  rays  com- 
plete." In  the  work  of  redemption,  what  did 
God  do  ?  He  reconciled  the  claims  of  conflict- 
ing attributes,  and  in  the  plan  of  saving  sinful 
man  from  a  deserved  and  everlasting  hell,  he 
caused  each  and  all  of  his  divine  attributes  to 
shine  out  with  peerless  and  dazzling  splendour. 
God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life. 
God  could  have  made  a  greater  universe  than  he 
has  made,  but  we  cannot  see  how  it  is  possible 
for  God,  infinite  as  he  is,  to  have  made  a  greater 
gift  than  he  has  done,  so  that  the  poet  has  well 
said, 

God,  in  the  person  of  his  Son, 
Hath  all  his  nnightiest  works  outdone. 

"If  in  creation  we  see  the  hand  of  God,  in 
redemption  we  see  his  heart."  If  in  the  work 
of  creation  there  be  a  display  of  God's  natural 
perfections  which  has  a  height  and  depth  we 
cannot  fathom,  in  the  work  of  redemption,  we 
have,  in  the  exhibition  of  his  moral  perfections, 


REVIVAL   SERMONS.  &il 

an  ocean  without  bottom  and  without  shore. 
Indeed,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  the  work  of 
redemptipn  is  presented  to  us  as  that  which  is 
to  the  Lord  for  a  crow  A  of  glory,  and  for  a  dia- 
dem of  beauty;  the  master-piece  and  chief  w^ork 
of  the  Great  God :  that,  indeed^  for  which  all 
thing-s  else  were  brought  into  beinor;  as  it  is 
written,  God  hath  created  all  things  by  Jesus 
Christ,  to  the  intent  (that  is,  for  this  specific 
purpose)  that  now  unto  the  principalities  and 
powers,  in  heavenly  places,  might  be  known  by 
the  church,  (Eph.  iii.  9,  10,  11,)  the  manifold 
wisdom  of  God.  If,  then,  creation  be  a  casket, 
redemption  is  the  richest  jewel  in  that  casket ; 
and  if  creation  be  to  the  Lord  as  we  have  said, 
a  crown  of  glory,  redemption  is  the  most  resplen- 
dent gem  which  glitters  in  that  crown  of  glory. 
In  the  sacred  volume  we  find  it  written,  ''Great 
and  marvellous  are  thy  works.  Lord  God  Al- 
mighty;" in  the  same  volume  we  also  find  this 
exclamation,  "How  great  is  his  goodness,  and 
how  great  is  his  beauty!"  Zech.  ix.  16.  A  being 
then,  who  is  infinitely  good,  as  well  as  infinitely 
powerful;  who  is,  in  short,  infinite  in  every 
thing  that  is  great  and  glorious,  how  great,  how 
exceedingly  great  must  such  a  Being  be !  This 
is  the  God  whom  we  worship  and  adorej  our 
God  for  ever  and  ever.  "  0  Lord,  my  God,  thou 
art  very,  very  great!" 

A  few  inferences,  and  I  have  done. 

1.  How  reasonable  it  is  that  we  should  wor- 
5 


58  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

ship  and  serve,  this  only  living  and  true  God. 
Hence  the  beautiful  language  of  the  Psalniist: 
"O  come  let  us  sing  unto  the  Lord;  let  us 
make  a  joyful  noise  unto  the  Rock  of  our  sal- 
vation. Let  us  come  before  his  presence  v^ith 
thanksgiving,  and  make  a  joyful  noise  unto 
him  with  psalms,  for  the  Lord  is  a  great  God, 
and  a  great  king  above  all  gods.  In  his  hand 
are  the  deep  places  of  the  earth;  the  strength 
of  the  hills  is  his  also.  The  sea  is  his,  and  he 
made  it,  and  his  hands  formed  the  dry  land. 
0  come,  let  us  worship  and  bow  down;  let  us 
kneel  before  the  Lord  Our  Maker,  for  he  is  our 
Gbd,  and  we  are  the  people  of  his  pasture,  and 
the  sheep  of  his  hand."  Yes  it  is  reasonable 
that  we,  that  all  should  worship  and  serve  the 
only  living  and  true  God,  hence  the  language 
of  the  Psalmist  again  :  "  O  sing  unto  the  Lord 
a  new  song.  Sing  unto  the  Lord  all  the  earth. 
Sing  unto  the  Lord;  bless  his  name.  Show 
forth  his  salvation  from  day  to  day;  declare 
his  glory  among  the  heathen;  his  bonders 
among  all  people,  for  the  Lord  is  great,  and 
greatly  to  be  praised;  he  is  to  be  .feared  above 
all  gods,  for  all  the  gods  of  the  nations  are 
idols,  but  the  Lord  made  the  heavens.  Honour 
and  majesty  are  before  him,  strength  and 
beauty  are  in  his  sanctuary.  Give  unto  the 
Lord,  0  ye  kindreds  of  the  people,  give  unto 
the  Lord  glory  and  strength.  Give  unto  the 
Lord  the  glory  due  unto  his  name;  bring  an 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  69 

offering  and  come  into  his  courts.  O  worship 
the  Lord  in  the  beauty  of  hoHness,  fear  before 
him  all  the  earth." 

"Before  Jehovah's  awful  throne, 

Ye  nations  bow  with  sacred  joy, 
Know  that  the  Lord  is  God  alone,  .    '     ' 

He  can  create,  and  he  destroy. 

His  sovereign  power,  without  our  aid. 
Made  us  of  clay  and  formed  us  men. 

And  when  like  wandering  sheep  we  strayed, 
He  brought  us  to  his  fold  again. 

We  are  his  people,  we  his  care, 
Our  souls,  and  all  our  mortal  frame; 

What  lasting  honours  shall  we  rear,  : 

Almighty  Maker,  to  thy  name?  . 

We'll  crowd  thy  gates  with  thankful  songs. 
High  as  the  heavens  our  voices  raise, 

And  Earth,  with  her  ten  thousand  tongues, 
Shall  fill  thy  courts  with  sounding  praise. 

Wide  as  the  world  is  thy  command — 

Vast  as  eternity  thy  love — 
Firm  as  a  rock  thy  truth  must  stand,' 

When  rolling  years  shall  cease  to  move." 

Alleluia!  The  Lord  God  omnipotent  reignethj 
Amen,  Alleluia! 

2.  How  dreadful  a  thing  it  must  be,  to  havfe 
this  great  God  for  our  enemy ! — a  God  so  great 
and  powerful,  who  is,  literally,  every  where 
present,  and  w^ho,  literally,  can  do  all  things ! 
Who  can  escape  his  notice?  or  elude  his  grasp? 
or  escape  his  power?    Assuredly,  "He  that 


60  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

can  create,  and  can  destroy," — "He  that  can 
dash  whole  worlds  to  death,  and  make  them 
when  he  please;"  assuredly,  he  can  in  a  mo- 
ment hurl  the  sinner  down  to  hell,  and  chain 
him  there  in  darkness  and  despair !    Yea,  can 
destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell,  and  that 
for   ever!      O   my  friends,  the   apostle    says, 
and  truly  does  the  apostle  say,  "It  is  a  fear- 
ful thinsT  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  livingf 
God."     Let  men  hate  me,   let  men  torment 
me,   let  the   stormy   cloud   rain  thunderbolts 
upon  me,  and  the  terrific  whirlwind  sweep  me 
away  and  dash  me  upon  the  ragged  rocks,  but, 
let  not  the  great  God  of  heaven  and  earth  be 
mine  enemy  !  for  in  the  day  of  his  wrath  who 
shall  be  able  tQ   stand?   and  his  wrath,  once 
kindled,  burns  furiously,  and  burns  for  ever. 
O   sinner!   impenitent  sinner!   fear  the   God 
who  made  you.     "Who  would  not  fear  thee? 
O.  king  of  nations,"  says  the  prophet,  "  Avho 
would  not  fear  thee?  for  to  thee  -doth  it  apper- 
tain."    Surely  it  is  right  and  proper  that  we 
should  fear  what  is  a  proper  object  of  fear,  and 
if  God  be  indeed  the  great  God  which  we  have 
proved  him  to  be,  certainly  it  is  right  and  pro- 
per that  he  should  be  feared,  hence  the  lan- 
guage of  Peter,  "  Fear  God;"  and  the  language 
of  the  Psalmist,  "  Stand  in  awe,  and  sin  not;" 
and  this  language  again,  "  Tremble  thou  earth 
at  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  at  the  presence  of 
the  God  of  Jacob;"  and  yet  many  fear  not 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  61 

God!  God  says,  " Remember  " the  Sabbath 
day  to  keep  it  holy,"  but  they  refuse  to  re- 
member the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy,  God 
says,  "  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the 
Lord  thy  God  in  vain;"  but  this  command 
also,  they  daily  trample  upon,  as  they  do, 
niany,  many  others.  The  fact  is,  many  have 
no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes,  and  positive- 
ly treat  him  as  if  he  were  a  cipher  and  worthy 
of  no  regard.  They  fear  man,  but  fear  not 
God,  who  made  man!  They  fear  the  jarring 
elements,  but-  fear  not  God  who  controls  the 
jarring  elements !  ,  Yes,  the  wrath  of  man,  and 
the  viplence  of  conflicting  elements,  will  make 
them  tremble  and  turn  pale,  but  they  fear  not 
that  God  in  whom  they  live  and  move  and 
have  their  being;  who  can,  in  a  moment  of 
time,  raise  thenx  to  heaven,  and  number  them 
with  the  bright  and  happy  spirits  around  his 
throne ;  or,  sink  them  down  to  hell,  and  link 
them  with  spirits  accursed  and  damned  for 
ever !  Surely  there  is  madness  fn  the  sinner's 
heart.  O  sinner,  fear  God,  that  it  may  be  well 
with  you  in  the  latter  end.  But,  do  not  mis- 
understand the  matter,  when  we  call  upon  you 
to  fear  God,  we  do  not  call  upon  you  to  exer- 
cise a  slavish,  but  a  filial  fear :  and  these  are 
widely  different.  The  one  may  consist  with 
the  deadliest  enmity ;  the  other  only  with  the 
liveliest  affection.  The  one  is  the  fear  of  a 
slave  towards  a  cruel  tyrant ;  the  other  is  the 


62  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

fear  of  a  child  towards  an  affectionate  parent. 
The  one  has  nothing  of  true  religion  in  it ;  the 
other  is  the  very  essence  thereof.  In  short,-  the 
fear  required  is  the  fear  of  a  Joseph,  who, 
wheii  tempted  to  sin,  said,  "  How  can  I  do  this 
great  wickedness,  and  sin  against  God."  And 
now,  my  dear  impenitent  friends,  remember, 
ybu,  who  have  no  Saviour,  remember!  you 
have  not  yet  made  your  peace  with  God,  and 
you  and  God  must  meet!  You  have  sinned 
against  him,  lo,  these  many  years!  and,  be 
sure,  your  sin  will  find  you  out !  •  O  what  will 
you  do  when  God  shall  require  your  soul? 
what  will  you  do  when;  amid  all  the  terrors 
of  the  judgment  day  you  shall  hear  the  sound 
depart? 

"  O  wretched  state  of  deep  despair 
To  see  my  God  remove. 
And  fix  my  doleful  station  where 
I  must  not  taste  his  love." 

O  my  unconverted  friends!  you  have  slum- 
bered over  your  eternal  interests,  too  long; 
wake  up,  at  last,  I  beseech  you,  O  wake  up  to 
the  high  claims  of  God  and  eternity.  And  I 
would  now  say,  in  the  language  of  the  Sa- 
viour, "  Agree  with  thine  adversary  quickly 
whilst  thou  art  in  the  way  with  him,  lest  at 
any  time  the  adversary  deliver  thee  to  the 
judge,  and  the  judge  deliver  thee  to  the  officer, 
and  thou  be  cast  into  prison ;  verily,  I  say  unto 
thee  thou  shalt  by  no  means  come  out  thence, 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  63 

till  thou  hast  paid  the  uttermost  farthing!"  O  ! 
to  be  lost,  and  lost  for  ever !  even  for  ever  and 
ever!  Think  upon  that,  and  may  God  have 
mercy  upon  your  souls! 

3.  How  blessed  it  is  to  have  God  upon  our 
side.  If  God,  the  great  God,  be  for  us,  who 
can  be  against  us?  He  who  is  infinite  in  wis- 
dom and  in  power,  he  who  has  a  control  over 
all  means  and  agents,  what  a  powerful  friend 
and  protector  must  he  be!  Hence  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Psalmist^  "  As  the  mountains  are 
round  about  Jerusalem,  so  the  Lord  is  round 
about  his  people,  from  henceforth  .and  even 
for  ever!"-  And  again:  "The  Lord  is  my 
light  and  my  salvation,  whom  shall  I  fear? 
the  Lord  is  the  strength  of  my  life,  of  whom 
shall  I  be  afraid?"  Ah,  my  brethren,  if  God 
be  upon  our  side  we  are  safe  and  happy,  for 
time  and  for  eternity !  and  well  may  it  be  said 
happy  is  that  people  who  is  in  such  a  case, 
yea,  happy  is  that  people  whose  God  is  the 
Lord  !  This  happiness  belongs  to  all  the  truly 
pious  of  every  place  and  every  age.  Yes,  it  is 
the  privilege'  of  each  and  all  such  to  say  with 
the  sweet  singer  of  old,  "  This  God  is  our  God 
for  ever  and  ever ;  he  will  be  our  guide  even 
unto  death."  And  again:  "The  Lord  liveth, 
and  blessed  be  my  Rock;"  and,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  our  text,  "  O  Lord,  my  God,  thou 
art  very  great."  There  is  oftentimes  great 
meaning  and  great  sweetness  in  the  little  pro- 


64  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

noun  my.  And  if  it  be  pleasant  sometimes  to 
be  able  to  say,  this  is  m\j  house,  my  field,  my 
wife,  my  child,  how  much  more  delightful, 
yea,  infinitely  more  delightful,  after  contem- 
plating the  grandeur  of  the  Eternal  King,  to 
be  able  to  say,  "this  God  is  our  God  for 
ever  and  ever!"  Yes,  great  and  glorious  as 
he  is,  this — the  Christian  may  say,  this  is 
my  Heavenly  Father,  the  friend  and  por- 
tion of  my  soul ;  very  pleasant  therefore  must 
have  been  the  feelings  of  the  Psalmist  when 
he  uttered  the  language  of  our  text,  "  O 
Lord,  my  God,  thou  art  very  great."  This  is 
the  language  of  joy,  of  triumph,  and  of  com- 
plete exultation,  reminding  us  of  the  well 
known  language  of  Moses,  "  Their  rock  is  not 
as  our  Rock,  even  our  enemies  themselves 
being  judges."  My  brethren,  I  repeat  it,  if 
God  be  for  us  who  can  be  against  us?  He  is 
a  shield  and  buckler  to  his  people  on  earth, 
and,  afterwards  he  will  receive  them  to  glory. 
He  was  a  shield  to  the  patriarch  Jacob.  You 
recollect  this  man  of  God  having  been  im- 
properly treated  by  his  father-in-law,  Laban, 
leaves  him,  and  witTi  his  family  and  all  that  he 
had,  sets  out  on  his  journey  to  see  his  father 
Isaac,  wdio  was  still  alive.  When  Laban 
heard  that  Jacob  was  gone,  he  gathered  a  force 
and  pursued  after  him,  resolved  it  seems  to 
bring  him  back.  The  very  night  however, 
before  he  came  up  with  Jacob,  the  Lord  ap- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  65 

peared  to  Laban  the  Syrian  in  a  dream,  and 
said  unto  him,  Speak  not  a  word  to  Jacob, 
good  or  bad.  The  next  day  he  overtakes  Ja- 
cob, and  still  wrathful  he  said,  It  is  in  the 
power  of  my  hand  to  do  you  hurt,  but  the 
Lord  God  of  your  fathers  appeared  to  me  yes- 
ternight saying.  Speak  not  a  word  to  Jacob, 
good  or  bad.  O  Lord  of  hosts,  blessed  is  the 
man  to. whom  thou  art  a  shield  and  buckler! 
J^cob  thus  protected,  continues  his  journey. 
On  his  way  to  the-  dwelling  place  of  Isaac  he 
must  needs  pass  by  Mount  Seir,  the  dwelling 
place  of  Esau.  It  will  be  recollected  that  some 
twenty  years  before,  Esau  had  threatened  that 
he  would  slay  Jacob.  Drawing  near  to  Mount 
Seir,  and  remembering  this,  Jacob  sends  mes- 
sengers to  Esau,  to  conciliate  him.  Esau 
deigned  no  reply,  and  Jacob's  messengers  re- 
turned to  him,  saying.  We  came  to  thy  bro- 
ther Esau,  and  also  he  cometh  to  meet  thee, 
and  four  hundred  men  with  him ;  then  Jacob . 
was  greatly  afraid,  and  he  divided  the  people 
that  were  with  him,  and  the  flocks  and .  the 
herds,  and  the  camels,  into  two  bands,  and 
said.  If  Esati  come  to  the  one  company  and 
smite  it,  then  the  other  company  which  is  left 
shall  escape.  Having  made  this  arrangement, 
he  turned  aside  to  pray,  and  we  may  judge  of 
the  feelings  of  his  heart  from  the  words  of  his 
lips  :  "  0  God  of  my  father  Abraham,  and  God 
of  my  father  Isaac,  deliver  me  I  pray  thee 


66  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

from  the  hand  of  my  brother,  from  the  hand  of 
Esau,  for  I  fear  him,  lest  he  come  and  smite 
me,  and  the  mother  with  the  children."  And 
now  the  moment  of  meeting  arrives;  and  as 
Esau  lifted  up  his  eyes  and  beheld  Jacob  his 
brother,  the  Lord  touched  Esau's  heart,  and 
he  ran  to  meet  his  brother,  and  embraced  him, 
and  fell  on  his  neck  and  kissed  him,  and  they 
wept!  O  Lord  of  hosts,  blessed  is  the  man 
whom  thou  dost  shield  and  protect !  The  Lord 
can  hold  the  enemy  in  -check  by  a  vision  of  the 
night,  or  by  converting  a  heart  of  enmity  into 
a  heart  of  love !  yea,  in  many  ways.  Take 
one  case  more :  Jezebel,  the  wife  of  Ahab,  had 
sworn  that  Elijah  should  not  live  another  day. 
Elijah  hears  of  the  threat,  and  went  a  day's 
journey  into  the  wilderness  and  sat  down  un- 
der a  juniper  tree.  Methinks  I  see  this  vene- 
rable man  under  the  juniper  tree.  He  is. in 
great  sadness.  Methinks  I  hear  him  sigh,  me- 
thinks I  see  the  tears  trickling  down  his  fur- 
rowed cheeks.  But  now  he  prays,  and  we 
may  judge  of  the  feelings  of  his  heart  from 
the  language  of  his  lips.  It  is  enough  now, 
O  Lord,  said  he,  take  away  my  life,  for  I  am 
not  better  than  my  fathers.  And  now,  my 
brethren,  see  that  Elijah  who  would  willingly 
have  died  under  the  juniper  tree,  without  a 
friend  to  close  his  eyes  or  dig  his  grave — only 
see !  the  heavens  are  opened !  the  heavens  are 
opened !  and  lo,  a  chariot  of  fire,  and  horses  of 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  67 

fire  descend,  and  that  good  man  wha  would 
fain  have  died  under  the  juniper  tree  without 
a  friend  to  close  his  eyes  or  dig  his  grave — 
only  see  how  he  is  rapt  away  in  triumph  to 
the  bosom  of  his  God,  in  glory!  Of  a  truth, 
"  he  has  found  a  most  secure  abode,  who  has 
made  his  refuge  God."  "  The  Lord  is  thy  keep- 
er," says  the  Psalmist,  "  the  Lord  is  thy  shade 
upon  thy  right  hand.  The  sun  shall  not  smite 
thee  by  day,  nor  the  moon  by  night.  The 
Lord  shall  preserve  thee  from  all  evil ;  he  shall 
preserve  thy  soul.  The  Lord  shall  preserve 
thy  going  out,  and  thy  coming  in,  from  this 
time  forth  and  even  for  evermore."  So  that  we 
may  say  to  the  humblest  child  of  God, 

'•  Go  and  return  secure  from  death 
'Till  God  command  thee  home." 

Then  comes  joy,  heavenly  joy;  bliss,  unutter- 
able and  everlasting  bliss !  O  think  what  a  full 
tide  of  joy  an  infinite  God  can  pour  into  our 
souls,  through  all  the  ages  of  eternity !  G,  my 
brethren,  believe  me,  riches  are  nothing;  hon- 
ours are  nothing;  worldly  pleasures  are  nothing ; 
thrones  and  kingdoms  nothing,  in  comparison 
with  the  favour  of  God.  Thy  favour,  O  God, 
is  life ;  thy  loving  kindness  is  better  than  life ; 
for  if  God,  the  great  God  of  heaven  and  earth 
be  for  us,  who  can  be  ao^ainst  us?  O !  then  seek 
his  favour,  and 'may  you  never  rest  until  you 
find  sweet  repose  in  the  bosom  of  a  God  recon- 
ciled through  the  mediation  of  his  Son.    Amen. 


68  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 


SERMON  III. 


CHRIST    THE    MEDIATOR. 

Who,  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal 
with  God:  but  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon  liim 
the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men :  and 
being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself  and  became 
obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross.  Wherefore  God 
also  hath  highly  exalted  him  and  given  him  a  name  which  is  above 
every  name ;  that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  of 
things  in  heaven,  and  tilings  in  earth,  and  things  under  the  earth ; 
and  that  every  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to 
the  glory  of  God  the  Father. — Phil.  ii.  6-11. 

In  these  words,  my  brethren,  we  have, 

•  I.  The  mediatorial  character,  work  and  glory 
of  Christ,  and 

II.  The  grand  design  of  the  whole. 
I.  The  mediatorial  character,  w^ork  and  glory 
of  Christ. — By  the  mediatorial  character  of 
Christ,  we  are  to  understand,  not  his  essential, 
but  his  official  character — that  which  he,  as 
mediator,  sustains  in  the  economy  of  man's 
redemption.  Had  man  never  existed;  or  ex- 
isting, had  never  fallen;  or  fallen,  had  never 
been  redeemed,  the  Eternal  Son  of  God  had 
never  assumed  the  name  of  Jesus- Christ  or  Me- 
diator. This  is,  unquestionably,  that  new  name 
spoken  of  in  the  book  of  Revelation,  iii.  12,  and 


REVIVAL  SERIMONS.  69 

tliat  name  \Vhicli  is  above  every  name,  made 
mention  of  in  the  passage  now  before  ns.  En- 
'tering  upon  the  glorious  work  of  man's  redemp- 
tion, he  assumes  a  new  name,  and  sustains  a 
new  character.  This  character  is  commonly 
denominated  his  mediatorial  character.  The 
scope  of  our  text  would  lead  us,  however,  to 
speak  not  so  much,  of  those  offices  which  be- 
long to  the  mediatorial  character  of  Christ,  as 
of  that  uaion  of  the  human  and  divine  nature 
in  the  person  of  Christ,  upon  which  the  media- 
torial character  is  founded,  and  which  indeed 
gives  to  it  all  its  dignity,  and  sweetness,  and 
excellence,  and  perfection.  Here  it  will  be 
necessary  for  us,  by  sound  scriptural  argu- 
ment, to  establish  this  proposition,  that  Jesus 
Christ,  as  Mediator,  possesses  trvo  natures — the 
divine  and  human,  in  mijstei'ioiis,  yet  all-harmo- 
nious union.  This  is  a  doctrine  of  prime  im- 
portance. It  lies  at  the  very  foundation  of  the 
whole  Christian  system ;  and  with  it,  the  most 
precious  hopes  of  the  believer  must  live  or  die. 
No  wonder,  then,  if  we  be  tenacious  for  this 
doctrine;  no  wonder  if  we  .cling  to  it  as' the 
miser  clings  to  his  gold;  for  "if  the  founda- 
tionij  be  destroyed,  what  can  the  righteous 
do?"  In  establishing  this  point,  we  shall 
adduce  only  one  argument,  with  some  col- 
lateral proofs — I  say  only  one  argument,  but 
that,  humbly  conceived  to  be,  both  clear  and 
unanswerable— it  is  this :  In  this  volume,  the 


70  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

Bible,  there  are  certain  things  affirmed  of  Jesus 
Christ,  which  can  properly  be  affirmed  only  of 
the  Imman  nature;  and  yet,  in  the  very  same 
volume,  certain  other  things  are  affirmed  of 
him   which  can  properly  be  affirmed  only  of 
the  divine  nature.     Now  these  two  classes  of 
affirmations,  in  the  very  nature  of  the  case, 
cannot  be  true,  except  on  the  principle  that 
Jesus  Christ  possesses,  as  we  have  said,  both 
the  human  and  divine  nature,  in  mysterious, 
yet  all- harmonious  union.     How  do  we  prove 
that  a  living  man  possesses  both  a  soul  and 
body   in  union?      Very    much^  in   this   way. 
Speaking  of  this  man,  for  example,  I  say  that 
he    has    flesh,    bones,    blood,    and  is  mortal. 
These   things,  we  all  see,   belong  not  to   his 
soul,  but  to. his  body,  and  prove — what?  cer- 
tainly that  he  has  a  true  body.     Yet,  speaking 
of  the  very  same  individual,  I  change  my  lan- 
guage, and  also  affirm  that  he  has  memory, 
will,  and  understanding,  and  is  immortal.    Now 
here  is  a  new  set  of  attributes  which  evidently 
belong  not  to  the  body,  but  to  the  soul,  and 
prove — what?    assuredly,   that  this  man    has 
also  a  soul,  a  reasonable  soul.     The  connecting 
link  between  the  soul  and  the  body  may  be 
unseen;  the  union  may  be  absolutely  inscru- 
table.    It  matters  not,  the  facts  are  clear,  and 
therefore  the  inference  is  irresistible :  this  man 
has,  in  himself,  mind  and  matter  united;  he 
has  both  a  soul  and  a  body,  in  mysterious,  yet 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  71 

all-harmonious  iinion.  Now  let  iis  bring  this 
principle  of  reasoning  to  bear  upon  the  case  in 
hand.  And  first,  with  regard  to  the  human 
nature  of  Christ.  Here  we  need  not  enlarge ; 
the  doctrine  is  not  controverted ;  we  need  only 
remind  you  of  those  passages  of  Scripture, 
which  tell  us  plainly,  that  Jesus  Christ  was 
born  of  a  woman ;  was  made  under  the  law — 
and  that  he  wept,  hungered,  thirsted,  died! 
These  things  we  all  see,  appertain  not  to  the 
divine  nature,  but  to  the  human,  and  prove — 
what  ?  Certainly  that  Jesus  Christ  possessed  the 
human  nature ;  was  very  man,  had  a  true  body> 
and  a  reasonable  soul ;  was  as  truly  a  man  as 
any  in  this  assembly.  This  is  a  precious  doc- 
trine; we  have  never  denied  it — the  Apostle 
never  did — his  language  is  this :  '^  Forasmuch 
as  the  children  were  partakers  of  flesh  and 
blood,  he  also  himself  took  part  of  the  same." 

But  with  regard  to  the  second  point,  that. in 
connexion  with  the  human  nature  our  Saviour 
also  possessed  a  nature, strictly  speaking  divine. 
Notice  the  affirmations  in  our  text:  "who,  be- 
ing in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to 
be  equal  with  God."  Here  are  two  affirmations, 
having  reference  to  the  supreme  divinity  of 
Christ.  Take  the  first,  "Who  being  in  the  form 
of  God."  Here,  the  apostle  affirms  that,  origi- 
nally, Jesus  Christ  was  in  the  form  of  God. 
Now  as  God  is  an  infinite  spirit,  possessed  of 
incommunicable    attributes,   and    arrayed    in 


72  REVIVAL  Sermons. 

peerless,  -Tincreated  glory,  it  is  very  certain 
that  no  mere  creature  can  possess  the  real  form 
of  God,  and  that  it  is  the  real,  and  not  assimi- 
lated form  of  God,  is  evident  from  what  the 
apostle  says  in  his  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  i.  8, 
where  he  declares  Jesus  Christ  to  be  the  bright- 
ness of  the  Father's  glory,  and  the  express 
image  of  his  person.  "The  brightness  of  the 
Father's  glory."  Now  as  the  brightness  of  the 
natural  sun  in  the  heavens,  is  of  the  same  na- 
ture and  date  with  that  great  luminary  itself, 
and  may  be  distinguished,  but  not  separated, 
even  so,  in  the  unity  of  the  Godhead,  the  Fa- 
ther and  the  Son  are  in  essence  one  and  the 
same,  co-equal,  co-eternal.  They  may  be  distin- 
guished, but  not  separated.  When,  therefore, 
the  apostle  declares  that  Jesus  Christ  was  in 
the  form  of  God,  the  idea  is  this,  that  Jesus 
Christ  possesses  in  himself,  really  and  substan- 
tially, all  the  perfections  of  God  the  Father's 
person.  In  confirmation  of  this,  notice  the  fol- 
lowing remarkable  facts :  1.  That  the  sublimest 
works  of  the  supreme  God  are  ascribed  to 
Christ. — Is  creation  the  work  of  God?  No  man 
denies  it;  and  yet  John  tells  us  that,  "All  things 
were  made  by  him ;  and  without  him  was  not 
any  thing  made  that  was  made."  John  i.  3.  Is 
preservation  the  w^ork  of.  God?  Who  denies 
that?  And  yet  Paul  tells  us  that  Jesus  Christ 
upholdeth  all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power. 
Heb.  i.  3.  Is  the  work  of  resurrection  the  work  of 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  73 

God?  Who  but  an  omnipotent  God  can  wake  up 
the  slumbering  nations  of  the  dead,  whose  ashes 
have  been  scattered  to  the  four  winds  of  hea- 
ven ;  buried,  it  may  be,  beneath  the  mountain's 
base  and  the  ocean's  wave?  Yet  the  blessed 
Saviour  says,  "/  am  the  resurrection  and  the 
life;  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day."  John 
xi.  25.  Is  the  work  of  final  judgment  the  work 
of  God?  The  Bible  says  expressly,  God  is  judge 
himself,  and  yet  the  apostle  says,  "We  must  all 
appear  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ." 
2  Cor.  V.  10.  But  the  doctrine  before  us  falls  in 
with  another  remarkable  fact,  that  the  sub- 
limest  names  of  the  supreme  God  are  given  to 
Jesus  Christ,  viz.  God.  Thus  the  Everlasting 
Father,  addressing  the  Son,  says,  "  Thy  throne, 
0  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever."  Heb.  i.  8.  "  True 
God;"  thus  John  says,  "Jesus  Christ,  this  is 
the  true  God."  1  John  v.  20.  "  Mighty  God." 
Is.  ix.  6.  "The  Lord  of  Glory."  1  Cor.  ii.  8. 
The  Prince  of  Life."  Acts  iii.  15.  "  The  First 
and  the  Last."  Rev.  ii.  S.  "  The  Almighty." 
Rev.  i.  8.  "  Over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever." 
Rom.  ix.  5.  Now,  give  these  names  to  Peter, 
or  to  Paul,  to  Michael,  to  Gabriel,  to  the  loftiest 
angel  in  heaven,  and  there  is  blasphemy  in  it; 
and  yet  they  are  given  to  Christ,  and  that,  too, 
by  those  who  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost.  This  .can  be  accounted  for  only 
by  the  fact  stated,  that  Jesus  Christ  possesses 
in  himself,  really  and  substantially,  all  the  per- 

6 


74  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

fections  of  God  the  Father's  person.  And  no- 
tice how  this  doctrine  falls  in  with  another  re- 
markable fact,  that  the  sublimest  honours  of 
the  Supreme  God  are  given  to.  Jesus  Christ. 
Witness  the  language  of  Thomas—"  My  Lord 
and  my  God."  Witness  what  is  said  of  Ste- 
phen, the  first  martyr — "And  they  stoned  Ste- 
phen, calling  upon  God,  and  saying,  Lord 
Jesus  receive  my  spirit."  Witness  the  form 
of  baptism :  "  Li  the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Now 
whatever  is  to  be  implied  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  is  of  course  also  to  be  implied  in  the 
name  of  the  Son.  But  hark!  pasans  are  sound- 
ing in  the  world  above!  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain,  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and 
v^dsdom,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  blessing." 
Rev.  V.  12.  There  is  no  adoration  loftier  than 
this;  no  worship,  more  strictly  speaking,  di- 
vine ;  yet  Jesus  Christ  is  the  object  of  it.  What 
makes  this  matter  more  remarkable  is  this :  It 
is  written,  "  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy 
God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve."  Accord- 
ingly, we  find  that  no  good  man,  no  good  angel, 
ever  consented  to  receive  divine  honours.  No 
good  man: — Paul  and  Barnabas  were  good  men : 
having  wrought  a  stupendous  miracle  at  Lys- 
tra,  the  people  cried  out,  in  the  language  of 
Lycaonia,  "The  gods  have  come  down  to  us  in 
the  likeness  of  men :"  and  the  priests  of  Jupiter 
brought  oxen  and  garlands  to  the  gates  of  the 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  7j5 

city,  and  would  have  done  sacrifice  with  the 
people — would  have  paid  Paul  and  Barnabas 
divine  honours.  Did  these  good  men  consent? 
They  rent  their  clothes,  and  ran  in  amongst 
the  people,  crying  out  and  saying,  "  Sirs!  why 
do  ye  these  things?  we  are  men  of  like  passions 
with  you."  No  good  angel  ever  consented  to 
receive  divine  honours.  You  recollect  a  good 
angel  once  appeared  to  John,  in  the  Isle  of 
Patmos.  John,  dazzled  by  the  effulgence  of  his 
splendour,  fell  down  at  his  feet  to  worship  him. 
Did  this  good  angel  consent  to  receive  this 
divine  honour?  He  w^as  in  a  hurry  to  repel  it; 
"  I  am  thy  fellow  servant — w^orship  God."  See, 
then,  how  good  men  and  angels  all  point  to  su- 
preme divinity  as  the  only  proper  object  of  re- 
ligious worship  and  adoration.  Now,  is  it  not 
remarkable  that  the  blessed  Saviour  himself 
appeared  to  the  same  John,  in  the  same  Isle  of 
Patmos,  and  John,  dazzled  by  the  effulgence  of 
his  splendour,  fell  down  at  his  feet  also?  Did 
the  blessed  Saviour  give  the  holy  apostle  any 
charge  against  worshipping  him?  Mark  the 
difference !  He  laid  his  right  hand  upon  him, 
saying,  "Fear  not,  I  am  the  First  and  the  Last ! 
I  am  he  that  liveth,  and  was  dead,  and  behold  I 
am  alive  for  evermore,  amen;  and  have  the 
keys-  of  hell  and  of  death!"  And  this  reminds 
me  of  that  sublime  doxology  uttered  by  the 
same  exile  in  Patmos,  in  his  own  name  and 
that  of  the  whole  church,  militant  and  trium- 


76  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

pliant — "Unto  Him  that  loved  us,  and  washed 
"US  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  hath 
made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his 
Father;  to  him  be  glory  and  dominion,  for  ever 
and  ever."  Mark,  "to  him  who  loved  us  and 
washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood — to 
him  be  glory  and  dominion,  for  ever  and  ever." 
Let  any  being  be  invested  with  glory  and  do- 
minion for  ever  and  ever,  and  he  is  invested 
with  the  honours  of  supreme  divinity — he  as- 
cends the  throne  of  the  universe,  and  he  is 
inaugurated  God  over  all!  These  things,  in 
relation  to  Jesus  Christ,  are  very  remarkable, 
and  can  be  explained,  as  I  humbly  conceive, 
only  on  the  ground  already  stated,  that  Jesus 
Christ  possesses  in  himself,  really  and  gubstan- 
tially,  all  the  perfections  of  God  the  Father's 
person.  In  confirmation  of  this  position,  take 
this  passage  of  scripture:  "Philip  saith  unto 
him,  Lord,  show  us  the  Father,  and  it  sufficeth 
us,  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Have  I  been  so  lonar 
time  with  you,  and  yet  hast  thou  not  known 
me,  Philip  ?  he  that  hath  seen  me  hath  seen  the 
Father:  and  how  sayest  thou  then,  Show  us 
the  Father?  Believest  thou  not  that  I  am  in 
the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me?"  John  xiv. 
8,  9,  10.  To  crown  the  matter,  notice  how  the 
apostle  expresses  the  doctrine  almost  in  the 
very  words  which  we  have  uttered :  "  In  him 
[Jesus  Christ]  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the 
Godhead  bodily."   Col.  ii.  9.     How  strong  is 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  77 

this  language!  Every  word  emphatic!  In 
him,  Jesus  Christ,  dwelleth,  all  the  fulness  of 
the  Godhead,  bodily.  If  this  does  not  express 
the  idea  of  God  incarnate — ^literally  God  incar- 
nate— v^'hat  idea  does  it  present?  And  here  I 
would  remark — as  thought,  written  or  uttered, 
is  thought  embodied,  so  Christ,  in  human  form, 
is  God  made  manifest  in  the  flesh. 

Having  introduced  the  term  "Godhead," 
permit  me  to  make  a  remark  or  two  touching 
the  mysterious  and  sublime  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity.  Some  stumble  at  it,  and  why? — On 
the  supposed  ground  of  its  involving  an  ab- 
surdity. Now,  we  positively  affirm,  that  the 
doctrine  of  a  triune  God,  as  we  receive  it, 
does  not  involve  even  the  shadow  of  an  ab- 
surdity;  for,  when  we  say  that  there  are  three 
persons  in  the  Godhead,  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  these  three  are  one 
God,  the  same  in  substance,  equal  in  power 
and  glory^ — observe,  we  do  not  say  thaf  they 
are  three,  in  the  same  sense  in  which  they  are 
one ;  nor  one  in  the  same  sense  in  which  they 
are  three.  That. would  be  an  absurdity:  we 
simply  say,  in  one  sense  three,  in  another 
sense  one.  Is  there  any  thing  incredible  in 
this  ?  By  no  means.  Rain,  hail,  and  snow,  are 
three  distinctions  of  one  and  the  very  same 
element.  And  although  I  would  not  say,  that 
rain  is  hail,  nor  that  hail  is  snow,  yet  I  will 
say,  what  I  have  a  right  to  say,  and  what  is 


78  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

certainly  most  true — ^in  substance  07ie;  in  dis- 
tinction three.  Just  so  with  regard  to  the 
unity  of  the  Godhead.  Although  I  would  not 
say,  that  the  Father  is  the  Son,  nor  the  Son 
the  Holy  Ghost,  yet  I  will  say,  what  \  have  a 
right  to  say,  and  what  is  certainly  a  great 
Bible  truth — in  essence  one;  in  distinction 
three.  Do  I  introduce  this  illustration  to  ex- 
plain the  mode  of  the  divine  subsistence  ?  Cer- 
tainly not.  I  cannot  explain  the  mode  of  my  own 
existence,  how  then  can  I  explain  that  of  my 
Maker,  who  is  an  infinite  Spirit?  I  introduce 
the  illustration,  simply  to  show  tbat  thel"e  is  no 
occasion  for  stumbling  here,  particularly  when 
we  remember  that  it  is  written,  "Canst  thou 
by  searching  find  out  God?  Canst  thou  find 
out  the  Almighty  to  perfection  ?  It  is  high  as 
heaven,  what  canst  thou  do  ?  deeper  than  hell, 
what  canst  thou  know  ?  The  measure  thereof 
is  longer  than  the  earth — it  is  broader  than  the 
sea."*  '  ■ 

*  According  to,  philosophers,  and,  what  is  incomparably 
better,  according  to  the  apostle  Paul,  man  himself,  who  is 
said  to  have  been  made  after  the  similitude  of  God — yes, 
man  himself  consists  of  three  distinctions :  body,  soul,  and 
spirit.  1  Thess.  v.  23.  By  the  body,  we  understand  the 
material  frame;  by  the  soul,  the  animal  life,  which  we  have 
in  common  with  the  brutes  that  perish ;  and  by  the  spirit, 
(usually  called  the  sou!,)  the  immortal  principle.  Now  here, 
we  perceive,  even  in  ourselves,  according  to  this  statement, 
a  threefold  existence,  not  only  in  union,  but  in  unity.  Why 
then  should  we  stumble  at  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  as 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  79 

But  to  resume  the  argument  touching  the 
Supreme  divinity  of  Christ :  take  the  second 
affirmation  in  oui*  text — "  Thought  it  not  rob- 
bery to  be  equal  with  God."  Now,  as  a  good 
writer  observes,  if  Jesus  Christ  thought  it  not 
robbery  to  be  equal  with  God,  it  was  no  rob- 
bery; and  if  no  robbery,  he  was  equal;  and  if 
equal,  he  must  be  God.'  But  some  one  may 
say,  ^'if  Jesus  Christ  be,  strictly  speaking,  a 
divine  person,  how  can  he,  being  divine,  being 
God,  be  said  to  be  equal  with  God  ?  Will  not 
this,  then,  imply  that  there  are  two  Gods, 
equal,  separate  and  independent?"  I  answer, 
that  in  a  matter  so  far  removed  beyond  all 
comparison,  and  all  similitude,  illustrations  are 
rarely  proper.  I  will  however  introduce  one, 
simply  to  show  that  the  thing  is  by  no  means 
incredible.  Water,  in  a  vessel,  may  subsist 
under  two  forms;  as  a  fluid,  and  as  a  solid; 

revealed  in  the  sacred  volume?  The  truth  is,  in  our  cate- 
chisms, creeds,  and  confessions,  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity 
is  presented,  if  I  may  so  speak,  in  a  skeleton  form,  and 
therefore  presented  to  great  disadvantage,  for  no  skeleton 
has  any  charms;  but  in  the  sacred  volume,  it  is  presented 
in  living  beauty,  each  person  in  the  adorable  Godhead 
being  there  presented  as  sustaining  some  peculiar  office  in 
the  economy  of  redemption.  For  example:  The  Father 
is  represented  as  planning  the  glorious  scheme  of  man's 
redemption ;  the  Son  as  executing  that  scheme,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  as  applying  to  all  believers  the  benefits  of  that 
planned  and  purchased  redemption,  and  thus  exhibiting  the 
Godhead  to  a  ruined  world,  in  glorious,  yet  distinct  mani- 
festations. 


80  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

or  as  vrater  and  ice.  They  may  be  compared 
witli  each,  other,  and  one  may  be  said  to  be 
equal  with  the  other;  but  if  you  do  not  like 
our  interpretation,  here  is  the  passage,  and 
what  will  you  do  with  it?* — "Thought  it  not 
robbery  to  be  equal  with  God."  If  Jesus  Christ 
possess  not  a  nature,  strictly  speaking,  divine, 
he  must  of  course  be  a  mere  creature— a  finite 
being!  My  brethren,  you  may  compare  a  grain 
of  sand  with  the  whole  earth ;  a  drop  of  water 
w^ith  the  mighty  ocean;  and  even  a  ray  of  light 
with  yonder  stupendous  orb  of  day ;  but,  verily, 
you  may  not  compare  a  creature  with  the  un- 
created God;  nor  that  which  is  finite,  with 
that  which  is  infinite.  In  no  sense  whatever, 
can  there  be  an  equality — with  no  propriety 
whatever,  can  there  be  even  a  comparison. 
The  case  then  is  clear,  Jesus  Christ  is  God: 
that  is,  possesses  in  himself,  really  and  substan- 
tially, all  the  perfections  of  God,  the  Father's 
Person.  We  have  also  shown  that  Jesus  Christ 
possesses  also  a  human  nature.  Our  great  doc- 
trine then  is  established,  that  Jesus  Christ,  as 
Mediator,  possesses  two  natures,  the  divine 
and  human,  in  mysterious,  yet  all-harmonious 
union.      Ah !    this   mysterious  union !      Some 

*  I  am  aware  that  those  who  reject  our  doctrine,  give 
another  rendering  to  this  passage,  and  indeed  to  every 
passage  which  we  have  quoted,  or  shall  yet  quote,  numerous 
as  they  are.  Strange  that  so  many  passages  should  have 
been  wrongly  translated !    . 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  81 

stumble  at  the  mystery  of  the  incarnation ;  and 
is  not  the  union  of  sonl  and  body  in  man  a 
mystery?  and  yet  who  stumbles  at  this?  Hav- 
ing evidence  of  the  fact,  we  believe  the  one; 
why  not,  having  evidence  of  the  fact,  believe 
the  other  also  ?  But  was  the  apostle  Paul  aware 
of  the  mystery  ?  He  was.  Did  he  stumble  at 
it  ?  I  give  you  his  own  words,  you  can  judge 
as  well  as  I.  "  Without  controversy,"  says  he, 
"  great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness.  God  was 
manifest  in  the  flesh."  1  Tim.  3.  6.  Observe: 
he  admits  it  to  be  a  mystery — he  goes  farther : 
he  admits  it  to  be  a  great  mystery;  moreover, 
he  would  have  us  to  understand,  that  there  is 
no  use  to  have  any  controversy  upon  this  point. 
Orhe  mystery  of  the  incarnation  is  not  denied. 
'*  Without  controversy,  great  is  the  mystery  of 
godliness.  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh." 
Now  if  the  apostle  did  not  stumble  at  the  mys- 
tery of  the  human  and  divine  nature  in  the 
person  of  Christ,  neither ,  do  I — nay,  more,  he 
gloried  in  it;  Rom.  ix.  5;  and  therefore  so 
will  I.  And,  indeed,  well  may  we  all ;  for,  as 
I  shall  now  show  you,  if  it  be  a  mystery,  it  is  a 
blessed  mystery — full  of  sweetness  as  well  as 
full  of  wonder;  for,  observe, 

1.  How  essential  the  twofold  nature  of 
Christ  is  to  the  various  parts  of  his  mediato- 
rial, work.  For  example :  he  must  have  a  hu- 
man nature  to  obey  the  law  which  man  had 
violated,   and  thus   to   magnify  the  law  and 


82  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

make  it  honourable;  but  it  is  equally  neces- 
sary, in  tliis  matter,  that  he  should  have  a 
divine  nature  also,  to  give  merit  to  his  obedi- 
ence. Suppose  that  Jesus  Christ  were  a  mere 
man,  what  could  his  obedience  avail?  He 
would  have  to  say,  as  we  do,  I  am  an  unpro- 
fitable servant ;  I  have  done  no  more  than  was 
ray  duty;  but,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  by 
his-  obedience  shall  many  be  made  righteous. 
So  he  must  have  a  human  nature  to  obey  the 
law,  and  the  divine  nature  to  stamp  value 
upon  that  obedience.  Again:  he  must  have 
a  human  nature  to  suffer,  and  the  divine- na- 
ture to  give  efficacy  to  those  sufferings.  Yes, 
according  to  the  Scriptures,  the  Mediator  must 
suffer,  as  it  is  written,  "  He  must  suffer  many 
things  of  the  elders,  and  chief  priests,  and 
scribes,  and  be  killed,  arid  the  third  day  rise 
again."  Matt.  xvi.  21.  And  again:  "It  be- 
hoved Christ  to  suffer."  Luke  xxiv.  46.  And 
again:  "Ought  not  Christ  to  have  suffered 
these  things?"  Luke  xxiv.  26.  Nay  more,  it 
is  written,  "  Without  the  shedding  of  blood 
there  is  no  remission."  Heb.  ix.  22.  In  order 
to  make  an  atonement  then,  Christ  must  be- 
come a  substitutionary  sacrifice — must  suffer ; 
but  the  divine  nature  cannot  suffer,  cannot 
be  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  nor  bruised 
for  our  iniquities;  hence,  Christ  must  have  a 
human  nature,  to  suffer;  but  here  again  it  is 
equally  necessary  that  he  should  have  a  divine 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  83 

nature,  as  we  have  stated,  to  give  efficacy  to 
his  sufferings ;  for,  suppose  Jesus  Christ  were 
no  more  than  a  mere  man,  what  could  his  suf- 
ferings avail?  The  martyrs  suffered  much, 
their  blood  flowed  in  torrents !  but  we  never 
hear  that  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  availed  to 
the  washing  away  of  a  single  sin  of  their  own ; 
but  with  regard  to  this  mysterious  sufferer,  it 
is  said,  "His  blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin." 
1  John  i.  7.  And  again  :  "  Behold  the  Lamb 
of  God  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world.'  John  i.  29.  Thus  you  perceive  it 
is  necessary  that  Jesus  Christ,  as  Mediator, 
should  possess  a  human  nature  to  .suffer,  and 
also  a  divine  nature  to  give  efficacy  to  those 
sufferings.  But  some  man  may  say,  "Sir, 
you  have  thrown  some  light  upon  this  point, 
but  the  point  is  not  clear  yet.  You  say  that 
the  human  nature  cannot  merit,  nor  the  divine 
nature  suffer,  then,  after  all,  hpw  can  the  suf- 
ferings of  the  human  nature  of  Christ  have  so 
much  efficacy?"  I  reply,  there  is  no  difficulty 
here  at  all.  Here  is  a  clod  of  earth.  In  that 
form  you  may  strike  it  about  at  pleasure — no 
harm  done ;  but  let  this  clod  of  earth  be  formed 
into  the  body  of  a  man;  let  it  be  united  to 
the  soul  of  a  man,  a  prince,  a  king,  a  con- 
queror !  and;  verily,  you  may  not  now  strike  it 
about  at  your  pleasure !  Who  does  not  see  that 
an  injury  done  to  that  clod  of  earth,  in  its  new 
form,  as  united  to  the  soul  of  a  man,  a  prince, 


84  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

a  king,  a  conqueror,  is  to  all  intents  and  pur- 
poses, the  same  as  an  injury  done  to  the  soul 
of  that  man,  that  prince,  that  king,  that  con- 
queror ?  The  case  then  is  simply  this,  although 
the  human  nature  .of  Christ  could  not  merit, 
nor  his  divine  nature  suffer,  yet  by  virtue  of 
the  union  of  the  human  and  divine  nature  in 
the  person  of  Christ,  the  sufferings  of  the  hu- 
man, are  as  if  they  were  the  sufferings  of  the 
divine  nature.  "  It  is  the  altar  which  sanctifies 
the  gift."  The  Saviour  himself  furnishes  the 
illustration.  The  divine  nature  is  the  altar, 
the  human  nature  of  Christ  is  the  victim  of- 
fered upon  that  altar,  and  the  altar  sanctifies 
the  gift — the  very  illustration  of  Christ  him- 
self! 

But  again :  Christ,  as  Mediator,  must  have 
a  human  nature  to  have  a  brother's  heart ;  a 
divine  nature  to  have  an  almighty  arm.  You 
recollect  that  when  God  descended,  in  terrible 
majesty,  upon  Sinai's  awful  mount,  the  peo- 
ple, greatly  alarmed,  removed  and  stood  afar 
off,  and  said  unto  Moses,  "  Speak  thou  with 
us,  and  we  will  hear,  but  let  not  God  speak 
with  us,  lest  we  die."  Nay,  even  Moses  him- 
self exclaimed,  "I  do  exceedingly  fear  and 
quake !"  How  natural  then  to  wish,  with  the 
man  of  Uz,  that  there  were  some  days-man  to 
lay  his  hand  upon  both  parties.  In  our  blessed 
Redeemer  this  desire  is  fully  met;  for,  as  we 
have  said,  he  has  a  human  nature  to  have  a 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  85 

brother's  heart,  a  divine  nature  to  have  an 
almighty  arm.  Both-  natures  are  equally  ne- 
cessary, for  suppose  that  Christ  had  a  human 
nature  only,  then  certainly  he  could  have  a 
brother's  heart,  could  sympathize  with  us,  be- 
ing- touched  with  a  fellow  feelino^  of  our  in- 
firmities,  and  this  would  be  soothing;  but  if 
this  were  all,  amid  all  his  tender  sympathies, 
we  might  sink  down  in  hopeless  sorrow  !  But 
0  !  delightful  truth !  our  Mediator  is  in  all 
respects,  fitted  for  his  appointment.  As  a  man 
he  has  ml  the  innocent  sensibilities  of  our  na- 
ture : 

"  He  knows  what  sore  temptations  mean, 
Foi'  he  has  Telt  the  same." 

'•  We  have  not  an  High  Priest,"  says  the  apos- 
tle, "  who  cannot  be  touched  with  a  feeUng 
of  our  infirmities,  but  was  tempted  in  all  points 
like  as  we  are,,  yet  without  sin."  Yes,  it  is 
even  so : 

"  He  in  the  days  of  feeble  flesh, 
Poured  out  his  cries  and  tears ; 
And  in  his  measure  feels  afresh 

What  every  member  bears."  ^ 

This  is  a  precious  doctrine.  The  human  na- 
ture of  Christ  brings  him  very  near  to  pur 
hearts,  and  the  idea,  that,  exalted  a;s  he  is,  he 
can  be  touched  with  a  fellow  feeling  of  our 
infirmities,  is,  I  repeat  it,  very  soothing;  but  if 
this  were  all,  what  would  it  avail  to  the  saving 


86  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

of  our  souls?  No!  He  must  have  something 
more  than  sympathy,  he  must  have  power.  He 
must  have  something  more  than  a  brother's 
heart,  he  must  have  an  almighty  arm!  and, 
according  to  our  doctrine,  so  it  is:  hence,  in 
the  Scriptures,  he  is  presented  to  us  as  one 
able  to  save  unto  the  uttermost.  Heb.  vii.  25. 
O  glorious  Mediator !  0  precious  Redeemer ! 
One  who  has  all  the  glories.of  a  God,  attem- 
pered, with  the  milder  beauties  of  a  perfect 
man !  One  so  distant,  and  yet  so  near !  Only 
think,  my  brethren,  (Weet  thougUr!)  our 
blessed  Saviour  has  a  human  nature,  to  have 
a  brother's  heart ! — a  divine  nature,  to  have 
an  almighty  arm ! 

"  'T^U  God  in  human  flesh  I  see,         ,         '  . 

My  thoughts  no  comfort  find  ; 
The  Holy,  Just  and  Sacred  Three, 

Are  terrors  to  my  mind; 
But  if  Immanuel's  face  appear, 

My  hope,  my  joy  begins;  '     '    .    • 

His  name  forbids  my  slavish  feaf , 

His  grace  removes  my  siris. 
While  Jews  on  their  own  law  rely, 

And  Greeks  of  wisdom  toast, 
,  I  love  th'  incarnate  mystery, 

And  there  I  fix  my  trust."  ■      ^ 

If  the  twofold  nature  pf  Christ  be  a  mystery, 
(and!  deny  it  not,)  it  is  a  blessed  mystery,  full 
of  sweetness  as  well  as  full  af  wpnder ;  for,  ob- 
serve, 

2.  How  beautifully  it  falls  in  with  the  ac- 


REVIVAL   SERMONS.  87 

count  given  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  whils.t  he 
tabernacled  here  on  earth.     In  this  account, 
circumstances  of  humility,  and  circumstances 
of  grandeur,  are  made  strangely  and  sweetly  to 
blend  togetli^r  in  the  person  of  Christ;  poiht- 
,ing  out,  at  the  same  time,  both  his  human  and 
divine  nature.     See  the  blessed  Saviour,  born 
in  Bethlehem ;  born  of  a  woman,  and  laid  in  a 
manger !     Here  are  circumstances  of  humility, 
pointing  out  his  human  nature ;  but  mark  the 
circumstances  of  grandeur  proclaiming  his  di- 
vine nature.     A  star  announces  his  birth,  and 
angels  sing  his  natal  song !     See  him  at  the 
grave  of  Lazarus !     He  weeps  lihe  a  man;  and 
then,   with   authority,   says,    "  Lazarus,   come 
forth!"  likt  a  God.     Approaching  the  barren 
fig  tree,  he  hungers  like  a  man;  and  then,  with 
a  word,  withers  the  fig  tree  away,  like  a  God. 
During  a  raging  storm  on  the  sea  of  Tiberias, 
he  lay  in  the  hinder  part  of  the  ship,  with  his 
head  upon  a  pillow ;  he  slept  like  a  man. .  Being 
called  upon,  he  arose  and  rebuked  the  winds 
and  the  sea,  like  a  God.     Having  wa-ought  a 
stupendous  miracle,  he  goes  into  a  mountain 
apart  to  pray,  like  a  man;  and  at  the  fourth 
watch  of  the  night,  he  comes  to  his  disciples, 
walking  upon  the  water,  like  a   God.     As  a 
man,  he  pays  tribute  money;   as  a   God,  he 
causes  a  fish  of  the  deep  to  bring  to  him  the 
tribute  money.,  Disciples  of  Christ!  O  see  your 
Saviour,  on  yonder  bloody  tree !  nailed  to  the 


88  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

cross,  he  suffers  like  a  man;  and  yet,  in  the 
midst  of  his  sufferings  he  opens  the  gates  of 
Paradise  to  the  dying  thief,  like  a  God.  And 
see,  too,  in  yonder  sepulchre,  alas !  in  yonder 
sepulchre — the  hope  of  Israel,  wrapt  in  the 
winding  sheet,  lies,  pale  and  cold. in  death,  like 
a  7nan.  But' lo!  in -the  inorning  of  the  third 
day,  by  his  own  immortal  energies,  he  burst 
the  bands  of  death,  and  arose  triumphant  like  a 
God.  And  see  him,  too,  after  his  resurrection : 
he  meets  with  his  disciples,  takes  a  piece  of  a 
broiled  fish,  aiid  of  an  honey-comb,  and  did  eat 
with  them  like  a  man.  And  then  he  leads 
them  out  to  Bethany  and  blesses  them ;  and  as 
he  blesses  them,  he  ascends  in  a  cloud  in 
radiant  majesty,  far  above  all  heavens,  a  God 
confessed!  God  is  gone  up  with  a  shout !  The 
Lord  with'  the  sound  of  a  trumpet !  Sing 
.  praises  unto  God ;  sing  praises !  Sing  praises 
unto  our  King,  sing  praises ! 

"x\ll  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name, 

Let  angels  prostrate  fall ; 
Bring  forth  the  royal  diadem, 
And  crown  him  Lord  of  all." 

3.  If  the  union  of  the  human  and  divine 
nature  in  the  person  of  Christ  be  a  mystery,  it 
is  a  bless^  mystery,  for  it  -serves  very  clearly 
and  beautifully  to  harmoiYize  many  passages  of 
Scripture  which  on  no  other  principle,  I  verily 
believe,  can  be  made  to  harmonize.     For  ex- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  89 

ample:  In  one  place  Jesus  Christ  is  called  a 
man;  in  another  place,  God.  Heb.  i.  8.  In  one 
place,  David's  Son,  Matt.  xxii.  42;  in  another 
place,  David's  Lord.  Matt.  xxii.  45.  In  one 
place  he  says,  "My  Father  is  greater  than  I;" 
John  X.  29;  in  another  place,  "I  and  my  Fa- 
ther are  one."  John  x.  30.  In  one  place  he  is 
said  to  be  a  Lamb  slain,  in  another  place,  the 
Prince  of  Life,  who  only  hath  immortality.* 
Now  deny  our  doctrine,  and  I  defy  any  man 
on  earth,  or  angel  in  heaven,  to  reconcile  these 
passages.  Admit  the  doctrine  and  all  is  beau- 
tiful and  harmonious.  AVith  regard  to  his  hu- 
man nature,  Jesus  Christ  is  a  man;  with  re- 
gard to  his  divine  nature,  God ;  with  regard  to 
his  human  nature  he  is  David's  Son ;  with  re- 
gard to  his  divine  nature,  David's  Lord.  Refer- 
ring to  his  human  nature,  or  official  character, 
he  can  say,  "  My  Father  is  greater  than  I;"  re- 
ferring to  his  divine  nature,  or  essential  charac- 
ter, he  can  say,  "  I  and  my  Father  are  one."  As 
to  his  human  nature,  he  is  a  Lamb  slain;  as  tp 
his  divine  nature,  the  Prince  of  Life,  w^ho  only 
hath  immortality.  And  now  to  put  the  beaute- 
ous crown  upon  the  whole,  and  to  convince 
you  that  this  is  indeed  the  true  scriptural  doc- 
trine, hear  the  words  of  the  Saviour  himself: 
"I  am  the  root  and  offspring  of  David,  and 
the  bright  and  morning  Star."  Now  this  is 
a  very  remarkable  passage  of  scripture,  and 

*  Compare  Acts  iii.  15 ;  Rev.  xix.  16 ;  1  Tim.  vi.  15, 16. 
7 


90  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

should  settle  the  doctrine  of  the  twofold  nature 
of  Christ  forever ;  for,  observe !  if  Jesus  Christ 
possessed  the  divine  nature,  and  that  only,  he 
could  most  assuredly  be  David's  root,  the 
source  of  David's  being;  but  in  this  case,  how 
could  he  be  David's  offspring  ?  On  the  other 
hand,  if  Jesus  Christ  possessed  the  human  na- 
ture, and  that  only,  he  could  then  certainly  be 
David's  offspring ;  but  here  again,  how,  in  this 
case,  could  he  be  David's  root?  the  source  of 
David's  being  ?  But  possessing  both  the  hu- 
man and  divine  nature,  he  can  say,  as  he  does 
say,  "  I  am  the  root  and  offspring  of  David,  and 
the  bright  and  morning  star;"  evidently  refer- 
rinor  to  his  mediatorial  character.  ''Rising-," 
as  one  remarks,  "in  his  incarnation,  as  the 
bright  and  morning  star,  .he  introduced  the 
gospel  day ;  rising  as  the  bright  and  morning 
star  in  the  influences  of  his  spirit,  he  intro- 
duces the  day  of  grace  and  comfort  in  the  sin- 
ner's soul ;  and  rising,  at  last,  in  his  bright  ap- 
pearing to  judge  the  world,  he  will  to  his  saints 
usher  in  the  coronation-day — the  day  of  a  blest 
eternity.  Bright  and  morning  Star!  Star  of 
hope  to  the  dying  sinner!  Star  of  hope  to  a 
sinking  world!  0  shine  upon  this  heart  of 
mine." 

Having  considered  the  mediatorial  character 
of  Christ,  let  us  next  consider  his  mediatorial 
work.  And  by  this  we  are  to  understand  all 
that  our  blessed  Saviour  did,  and  suffered,  to 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  91 

achieve  the  redemption  of  man,  commonly 
termed  his  active  and  passive  obedience.  It 
would  very  far  transcend  the  limits  of  this  dis- 
course to  lay  before  you,  in  detail,  all  the  varied 
parts  of  the  mediatorial  work  of  Christ ;  nor  is 
it  necessary  on  the  present  occasion,  for,  by  a 
very  common  figure'  of  speech,  a  part  is  here 
put  for  the  whole ;  the  apostle  summing  up  the 
whole  in  -the  humiliation  of  Christ,  and  this, 
with  singular  propriety,  in  the  connexion  of 
our  text,  inasmuch  as  his  deep  humiliation  on 
earth  is  here  presented  in  striking  contrast 
with  the  august  dignity  which  he  originally 
had,  when,  being  in  •  the  form  of  God,  he 
thought  it  not  robbery  fo  be  equal  with  God. 
In  this  astonishing  humiliation  there  are  several 
steps. 

1.  "He  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men." 
That  is,  he,  who  originally,  "  was  the  bright- 
ness of  the  Father's  glory,  and  the  express 
image  of  his  person,"  was,  in  his  incarnation, 
so  veiled,  so  clouded,  that  he  no  longer  appear- 
ed in  the  form  of  God,  but  in  the  likeness  of 
men.  "  Forasmuch  as  the  children  were  par- 
takers of  flesh  and  blood,"  says  the  apostle, 
*'  he  also  himself  took  part  of  the  same."  What 
a  stoop  of  condescension !  The  Prince  of  life, 
and  Lord  of  glory,  in  the  likeness  of  men ! 

" Harp  !  lift  thy  voice  on  high  ! 


Shout  angels  !  shout  aloud  ye  sons  of  men, 
And  burn  my  heart  with  th'  eternal  flame!" 


92  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

2.  "He  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  ser- 
vant." Observe!  this  glorious  One  not  only 
took  upon  him  human  nature,  but  human  na- 
ture in  a  low  condition :  "  he  took  upon  him," 
says  our  text,  "the  form  of  a  servant;"  not 
the  form  of  a  prince,  or  a  king,  but  the  form  of 
a  servant.  How  wonderful  is  this !  Nor  was 
he  ashamed  to  take  this  step  of  humiliation  for 
the  good  of  man,  he  rather  gloried  in  it ;  and 
how  touching  are  his  allusions  to  this  very 
thing!  "The  Son  of  man,"  says  he,  "came 
not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to  minister;" 
that  is,  to. act  the  part  of  a  servant.  And  again 
said  he  to  "his  disciples,  "  Whether  is  greater, 
he  that  sitteth  at  meat,  or  he  that  serveth?  Is 
not  he  that  sitteth  at  meat?  but  I  am  among 
you  as  he  that  serveth."  Blessed  Jesus!  But 
most  emphatically  did  our  great  Redeemer  as- 
sume the  form  of  a  servant,  when,  rising  from 
the  paschal  supper,  he  laid  aside  his  garment, 
and  took  a  towel  and  girded  himself,  and  hav- 
ing poured  water  into  a  basin,  he  began  to 
wash  his  disciples*  feet  with  the  water,  and  to 
wipe  them  with  the  towel  wherewith  he  was 
girded!  And  this  is  the  Saviour  that  made 
my  mother  sing  in  death!  the  same  Jesus, 
who,  as  thousands  have  testified,  "  can  make  a 
dying  bed  feel  soft  as  downy  pillows  are." 
Sinner !  this  is  the  Saviour  whom  you  ne- 
glect !    Is  this  thy  kindness  to  thy  friend  ? 

3.  "He  made  himself  of   no  reputation." 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  93 

Even  some  servants  have  a  liigh  character, 
and  are  greatly  esteemed,  but  the  Lord  of 
glory,  in  his  mysterious  incarnation,  volunta- 
rily places  himself  in  those  circumstances  in 
which  he.  received  not  the  honours  due  to  his 
name.  "  He  came  unto  his  own,"  says  the 
apostle,  ''  and  his  own  received  him  not."  Al- 
though he  was  the  Rose  of  Sharon,  and  the 
Lily  of  the  Vallies,  yet  he  was  esteemed  as  a 
root  out  of  a  dry  ground,  having  no  form  nor 
comeliness;  nay,  more,  as  predicted  of  him, 
he  was  despised  and  rejected  of  men !  a  man 
of  sorrows  and  acquainted  with  grief.  0  !  tell 
me,  did  not  our  blessed  Saviour  appear  as  one 
without  reputation  when  the  Samaritans  re- 
fused to  receive  him  into  their  villages?  When 
the  Gadarenes  besought  him  to  depart  out  of 
their  coast?  and  when  the  men  of  his  own 
city,  Nazareth,  led  him  to  the  brow  of  the  hill 
upon  which  their  city  >  was  built,  to  cast  him 
down  headlong,  as  one  unfit  to  live?  0!  tell 
me,  did  not  the  Saviour  of  lost  men  appear  as 
one  without  reputation,  when  he  was  openly 
rejected  by  the  chief  priests  and  pharisees, 
and  reproachfully  called  a  gluttonous  man  and 
a  wine-bibber,  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sin- 
ners? when  he  was  betrayed  by  one  disciple, 
denied  by  another,  and  forsaken  by  all  ?  when 
the  multitude  came  out  against  him,  as  against 
a  thief  with  swords  and  staves,  to  take  him? 
See  him  arrested  as  a  prisoner;  bound  as  a 


94  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

culprit ;  hurried  to  the  hall  of  Caiaphas ;  taken 
to  Pilate's  judgment  bar;  sent  to  Herod;  mock- 
ed by  the  soldiers;  crowned  with  thorns;  ar- 
rayed in  a  gorgeous  robe,  and  then  sent  back 
to  Pilate  again.  O !  see  him  at  Pilate's  bar ! 
False  witnesses  rise  up  against  him ! — none 
dare  appear  in  bis  behalf!  The  hall-^the 
court — the  very  heavens  ring  with  the  cry, 
"Crucify  him!  crucify  him!"  A  prisoner 
must  needs  be  released  at  the  feast,  and  Bar- 
rabbas  is  preferred !  O !  my  soul '  think  upon 
this ! — Barrabbas,  a  robber,  was  preferred  to  the 
blessed  Jesus!  Barrabbas,  a  murderer,  to  the 
spotless  Son  of  God!  And  now,  he  is  con- 
demned !  not  by  the  voice  of  law, ,  but  by  the 
clamor  of  popular  fury.  Pilate,  it  is  true,  calls 
for  water,  and  washing  his  hands  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  people,  says,  "I  am  innocent  of 
the  blood  of  this  just  man,"  yet  gives  him  over 
into  the  hands  of  his  enemies !  And  now  what 
a  scene  of  still  d-eeper  humiliation  is  presented ! 
The  blessed  Saviour  is  blindfolded !  he  is  smit- 
ten upon  the  cheek !  he  is  spitted  upon !  he 
is  buffeted!  he  is  scourged! — Only  think, 
scourged !  and  this  is  the  One,  who,  according 
to  the  Scriptures,  shall  hereafter  be  seen  coming 
in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  with  power  and  great 
glory !  O  the  strength  of  a  Saviour's  love ! 
how  astonishing  does  it  appear  when  measured 
by  the  humiliation  to  which  he  submitted  for 
our  sakes !    He  made  himself  of  no  reputation ! 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  95' 

But  there  is  yet  another  step  of  still  deeper 
humiliation  stated  in  our  text. 

4.  ''  He  humbled  himself  and  became  obedi- 
ent unto  death, -even  the  death  of  the  cross!" 
That  the  Prince  of  life,  and  Lord  of  glory, 
should  die  any  death,  however  easy,  and  hon- 
ourable, is  past  all  comprehension !  But,  such 
a  death!— the  death  of  the  cross! — a  death  so 
shameful — so  ignominious,  and  so  accursed  ! — 
so  bitter,  so  cruel,  and  so  bloody,  too !  How 
were  the  rugged  nails  driven  into  his  sacred 
hands  and  feet !  How  did  his  precious  blood 
gush  forth,  stream  down,  and  smoke  upon  the 
ground !  0  sinner !  sinner  !  you  know  not  the 
strength  of  a  Saviour's  love — you  know  not  the 
tenderness  of  the  dear  Redeemer's  heart !  He 
died  for  you !  died  on  the  cross  for  you !  and 
yet  you  slight  him,  every  day — turn  your  back 
upon  him,  and,  even  trample  under  foot  his 
precious  blood!  Hard-hearted,  iron-hearted 
sinner !  how  could  you  serve  your  loving,  dy- 
inof  Saviour  so  ?  "  Hearts  of  stone !  relent ! 
relent !" — "  Father  forgive  them,  they  know  not 
what  they  do!" — Having  considered  the  media- 
torial character  and  work  of  Christ,  we  are  next 
to  contemplate  his  mediatorial  glory. 

By  the  mediatorial  glory  of  Christ,  we  are 
to  \mderstand  all  that  our  blessed  Redeemer 
receives,  in  his  two-fold  nature,  as  the  reward 
of  his  mediatorial  work.  To  this  there  is  a 
reference  in  the  fifty-third  chapter  of  Isaiah; 


96  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

and  upon  this  the  apostle  deUghts  to  expatiate. 
His  language,  here,  is  beautiful  and  sublime : 
"Wherefore,  God  also"  (that  is  the  Father,) 
"hath  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a 
name,  which  is  above  every  name,  that  at  the 
name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow ;  of  things 
in  ^heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  and  things 
under  the  earth ;  and  that  every  tongue  should 
confess,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord."  Here  the 
mediatorial  glory  of  Christ  is  made  to  consist 
in  two  things,  honour  and  dominion. 

1.  In  Honour. — In  his  having  a  name  which 
is  above  every  name — the  name  of  Jesus;  the 
sweetest,  the  most  charming  name  that  men  or 
angels  ever  heard  !  Verily  "  'Tis  music  in  the 
sinner's  ears,  'tis  life,  and  joy,  and  peace !"  0  ! 
the  sweetness  of  the  name  of  Jesus,  as  it  comes 
over  the  young  convert  with  the  power  of  a 
charm,  bringing  hope  and  comfort  to  his  bur- 
dened soul !  O !  the  sweetness  of  the  name  of 
Jesus,  as  it  falls,  like  the  music  of  heaven,  upon 
the  ear  of  the  dying  saint,  enabling  him  to 
smile  in  death ;  and,  in  the  full  hope  of  glory, 
shout,  "  O  death!  where  is  thy  sting?  O  grave! 
where  is  thy  victory?" — and,  0!  who  can  tell 
the  unutterable  sweetness  of  the  name  of  Jesus, 
as  it  rolls  in  choral  symphonies  from  yonder 
heavenly  throng,  "  loud  as  from  numbers  with- 
out number,  and  sweet  as  from  blest  voices 
uttering  joy."  The  name  of  Jesus !  It  wakes 
up  all  the  harps  of  heaven !  it  rolls  a  tide  of 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  97 

rapture  all  over  the  world  of  glory !  All  eyes 
are  turned  upon  him !  whilst  voices  innumera- 
ble, shout,  "Worthy!  worthy,  is  the  Lamb." 
Yes,  my  brethren,  ' 

"  They  praise  him  now,  their  hearts  and  voices  praise. 
And  swell  the  rapture  of  the  glorious  song ! 
Amen !  so  let  it  be ;  shout,  angels,  shout  I 
And  loudest,  ye  redeemed  !     Glory  be  to  God, 
And  to  the  Lamb,  who  bought  us  with  his  blood ; 
And  washed,  and  sanctified,  and  saved  our  souls  ; 
And  gave  us  robes  of  linen  clean,  and  crowns  of  gold  ; 
And  made  us  kings  and  priests  to  God !"  - 

In  exact  accordance  with  this  is  the  language 
of  the  holy  Apostle,  in  that  noble  doxology,  or 
song  of  praise,  addressed  to  the  great  Redeemer 
in  his  own- name,  and  that  of  the  whole  church, 
militant  and  triumphant :  "  Unto  him  that  loved 
us,  and  washed  us  from  bur  sins  in  his  own 
blood;  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests 
unto  God,  and  his  Father;  to  him  be  glory 
and  dominion,  for  ever,  Amen!"  Yes,  and 
every  pious  heart  can  well  respond,  Amen. 

"  O  could  I  speak  the  matchless  worth, 
O  could  J  sound  the  glories  forth, 

Which  in  my  Saviour  shine ; 
I'd  soar,  and  touch  the  heavenly  strings. 
And  vie  with  Gabriel  while  he  sings, 
In  notes  almost  divine  ! 

I'd  sing  the  precious  blood  he  spilt. 
My  ransom  from  the  dreadful  guilt. 
Of  sin  and  wrath  divine ; 


98  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

I'd  sing-his  glorious  righteousness, 
In  which  all  perfect,  heavenly  dress, 
My  SQul  shall  ever  shine  I" 

But  the  mediatorial  glory  of  Christ  consists 
also, 

2.  In  Dominion. — Yes,  having  finished  the 
great  work  of  atonement,  and  hciving  ascended 
up  on  high,, our  great  Redeemer  is  now,  ac- 
cording to  the  Scriptures,  exalted  "far  above  all 
principality,  and  power,  and  might,  and  domi- 
nion, and  every  name  that  is  named,  not  only 
in  this  world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to 
come."'  Eph.  i.  21.  "  He  is  Lord  of  all."  Acts, 
X.  36.  He  it  is,  who,  walking  in  the  midst  of 
the  golden  candlesticks,  holds  the  ministers  as 
stars  in  his  right  hand :  he  it  is,  who,  seated  in 
the  highest  heavens,  rules  the  church,  and 
rules  the  world :  and  he  it  is,  who,  hereafter, 
"in  that  great  day,  for  which  all  other  days 
were  made,"  shall  sit  as  Judge  of  quick  and 
dead.  "  Behold,  he  cometh  with  clouds,"  says 
the  apostle,  "  and  every  eye  shall  see  him,  and 
they  also  Avhich  pierced  him;  and  all  kindreds 
of  the  earth  shall  wail  because  of  him.  Even 
so.  Amen."  Yes,  "hereafter" — (and  mark,  this 
is  his  own  language) — "  hereafter,  shall  ye  see 
the  Son  of  man  coming  in  the  clouds  of  hea- 
ven, with  power  and  great  glory."  Matt.  xxiv. 
30.  xxvi.  64.  Although  he  shall  come  as  the 
Son  of  man,  "  clothed  in  a  body  like  onr  own," 
yet,  verily,  none  shall  be  able  to  think  lightly 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  99 

of  him  then;  for  he  shall  come  with  great 
power  and  glory — shall  be  revealed  from  hea- 
ven, with  his  mighty  angels,  in  flaming  fire. 
Lightnings  shall  flash  from  his  piercing  eyes ! 
Thunders  shall  roll  around  his  awful  throne! 
He  shall  tread  out  the  sun  as  a  spark!  shall 
break  down  the  pillars  of  the  earth ;  his  voice 
shall  rouse  the  slumbering  dead,  and  from  his 
lips  shall  go  forth  that  sentence  which  shall  fix 
the  final  doom  of  all  mankind:  and,  verily,  all 
who  on  earth  despised  him,  shall  then  wail 
with  a  grievous  and  sore  lamentation.  In  view 
of  this,  I  would  now  say  to  every  impenitent 
sinner  present,  in  the  language  of  the  Psalmist, 
"  Kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye  perish 
from  the  way,  when  his  wrath  is  kindled  but  a 
little ;  blessed  are  all  they  who  put  their  trust 
in  him."     But  it  is  time  to  consider, 

II.  The  grand  design  of  the  whole,  beauti- 
fully and  comprehensively  expressed  by  the 
apostle  in  these  words — "  to  the  glory  of  God 
the  Father."  On  this  part  of  our  subject  we 
shall  be  brief  The  heavens,  in  all  their  varied 
beauties,  in  all  their  wide  and  boundless  mag- 
nificence, proclaim  the  glory  of  God — pro- 
claim his  wisdom,  his  grandeur,  and  his  power ; 
but  believe  me,  brethren,  we  have  something 
here  which  "outshines  the  wonders  of  the 
skies;"  something  which  gives  a  development 
of  the  divine  character  to  be  found  nowhere 
else,  whatever.   Yes,  the  great  scheme  of  man's 


100  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

redemption  is  now,  and  ever  will  be,  to  the 
Lord  emphatically  for  a  crown  of  glory  and  for 
a  diadem  of  beauty.     For  example, 

It  will  be  to  the  Lord  a  bright  and  imperish- 
able monument  of  his  love.  "  God  so  loved  the 
world,"  says  the  Saviour,  "that  he  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him,  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life."  Yonder  sun  in  the  heavens  is  exceed- 
ingly bright;  but  God  could  have  made  it 
brighter  still!  The  universe  is  astonishingly 
great,  but  God  could  have  made  it  greatet  still ! 
But  is  there,  can  there  be,  any  greater  gift 
which  the  infinite  God  himself  can  bestow, 
than  the  gift  of  his  Son  ?  Hence  the  peculiar 
language  of  the  Saviour — "God  so  loved  the 
world;"  and  hence  also  the  language  of  the 
apostle  John — "Herein  is  love,  not  that  w^e 
loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his 
Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.  And 
well  may  we  say  with  one  enraptured,   • 

"  Could  we  with  ink  the  ocean  fill, 

Were  the  whole  earth  of  parchment  made ; 
Were  every  single  stick  a  quill, 

And  every  man  a  scribe  by  trade, 
To  \vnte  the  love  of  God  above 

Would  drain  the  ocean  dry; 
Nor  could  the  scroll  contain  the  whole, 

Though  stretched  from  sky  to  sky." 

It  will  be  to  the  Lord  a  bright  and  imperisha- 
ble monument  of  his  power,  for  it  will  appear 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  101 

that  it  was  in  this  way  he  destroyed  the  works 
of  the  devil,  subdued  the  enemies  of  his  go- 
vernment, conquered  rebelhous  w^lls,  softened 
hearts  of  rock,  and  thus  redeemed  and  disen- 
thralled a  guilty  and  a  ruined  world  ! 

It  will  be  to  the  Lord  a  bright  and  imper- 
ishable monument  of  his  justice.  The  light- 
nings which  blasted  rebel  angels  in  heaven, 
and  awful  thunders  ever  rolling  in  the  prison- 
house  of  the  damned  in  hell,  speak  loudly  this 
lancruasre  in  the  ears  of  all  the  creatures  which 
God  has  made — "  Stand  in  awe  and  sin  not." 
But  0 !  the  tears,  the  groans,  the  streaming 
blood  and  dying  agoniesof  the  great  Redeemer, 
Jehovah's  Equal,  God's  Eternal  Son,  will  sound 
the  notes  of  warning  louder  still.  If  God 
spared  not  his  own  Son,  when  he  was  found  in 
the  law's  place,  and  stead  of  the  sinner,  will  he 
spare  any  sinner  who  has  to  answ^er  for  him- 
self? Justice  of  heaven!  how  inflexible  dost 
thou  appear  when  tljy  glittering  sword  is  seen 
bathed  in  Immanuel's  blood !  in  the  blood  of 
an  incarnate  God !     Once  more : 

The  plan  of  redemption  will  be  to  the  Lord 
a  bright. and  imperishable  monument  of  his 
wisdom,  for  here  mercy  and  truth  meet  to- 
gether, righteousness  and  peace  embrace  each 
other.  Yes,  here  "Justice  and  Mercy  are  both 
made  illustrious,  both  made  triumphant;  one 
in  punishing,  and  the  other  in  pardoning.  "An 
infinite  sacrifice  satisfies  divine  justice,  and  the 


102  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

fruit  of  that  sacrifice  satisfies  divitie  mercy." 
The  fact  is,  in  the  glorious  plan  of  man's  re- 
demption, all  the  divine  perfections  are  made 
sweetly  to  harmonize;  this  is  the  grand  focus,  so 
to  speak,  in  which  their  rays  do  meet  and  glow 
intensely.  When  man  sinned,  methinks  holy 
angels  struck  their  golden  harps  in  plaintive 
strains,  and  cried,  ''Alas  he  is  gone! — with 
fallen  angels,  man  is  gone  for  ever !"  How  can 
it  be  otherwise  ?  Will  a  righteous  God  cease 
to  be  just  ?  Will  a  holy  God  look  with  indul- 
gence upon  sin  ?  Will  the  Ruler  of  all  worlds 
permit  his  laws  to  be  broken  with  impunity, 
and  the  honours  of  his  government  to  lie 
trampled  upon  in  the  dust?^  Perish  such  a 
thought  as  this !  It  cannot  be !  Methinks  it 
is  repeated  from  world  to  world,  It  cannot  be, 
and  echoed  back  in  dismal  strains.  Then  man 
is  lost !  for  ever  lost ! 

But  hark !  a  sweet  voice  is  heard  !  It  comes 
from  Him  who  is  the  brightness  of  the  Fa- 
ther's glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his 
person.  It  comes  from  Him,  who,  being  in 
the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be 
equal  with  God.  "  Lo  !  I  come  !  In  the  volume 
of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me,  I  delight  to  do 
thy  will,  O  God !  a  body  wilt  thou  prepare  me ! 
I  will  take  the  sinner's  place — upon  me  be  the 
penalty  of  the  law !  I  will  bear  the  sins  of 
mine  elect,  in  my  own  body  upon  the  tree  !  I 
will  stoop  beneath  the  grave,  to  save  a  sinking 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  103 

world!"  What  new  mystery  is  this?  Angels 
stooping  from  their  seats  in  bliss,  desire  to  look 
into  this  great  mystery  of  godliness :  then, 
rising  in  admiration,  they  sweep  the  strings  of 
their  golden  harps,  and  swelling  their  loftiest 
notes,  they  cry,  as.  with  the  voice  of  mighty 
thunderings,  "  0  the  depth  of  the  riches,  both 
of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God  !  How 
unsearchable  are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways 
past  finding  out!"  My  brethren,  you  have 
heard'  of  the  seven  wonders  of  the  world. 
Here  we  have  the  one  great  wonder  of  the  uni- 
verse ! — the  master-piece  of  the  great  God  !  It 
is  this  which  shall  bind  all  worlds  to  the  throne 
of  the  ever-blessed  God !  It  is  this  which  shall 
wake  up  the  sweetest  pseans  in  the  heavenly 
world !  '  It  is  this,  which,  through  the  mighty 
roll  of  everlastinor  acres,  shall  fill  the  courts  of 
God  Almighty  with  sounding  praise! — To  the 
glory  of  God  the  Father !  A  few  inferences, 
and  I  have  done. 

1.  Here  we  have  aii  unanswerable  argument 
for  the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion — a  doc- 
trine such  as  we  have  now  been  considering ;  a 
doctrine  of  such  mingled  sweetness  and  gran- 
deur, so  worthy  of  God,  and  so  suited  to  man; 
such  a  doctrine,  if  unrevealed,  I  firmly  believe, 
could  never  have  entered  the  mind  of  man. 
Wo  to  the  infidel,  he  must  meet  a  fiery  day ! 

2.  How  invaluable  must  the  soul  of  man  be! 
To  create  worlds    and   systems  required  no 


104  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

great  array  of  means.  God  spake  and  it  was 
done !  He  commanded,  and  it  stood  fast ;  but, 
to  redeem  the  soul  of  man  all  heaven  must  be 
moved!  The  Lord  of  angels  must  become  in- 
carnate, must  suffer,  and  bleed,  and  agonize, 
and  die.  In  other  words,  there  must  be  a 
mighty  draft,  not  upon  the  resources  of  nature, 
but  upon  the  resources  of  nature's  God, 

"  Heaven  "weeps,  .that  man  might  smile. 
Heaven  bleeds,  that  man  may  never  die ! 

3.  .How  dreadful  is  the  guilt,  and  how  terri- 
ble must  be  the  doom  of  those  who  reject  such 
a  Saviour! — They  reject,  whom?  A  dying  Sa- 
viour, who  is  God's  eternal  Son  I  They  reject, 
whom?  The  world's  last  and  only  hope! 
There  is  salvation  in  none  else ;  and,  the  sin- 
ner, dying  without  an  interest  in  this  Saviour, 
is  accursed  for  ever!  He  is  turned  over  to 
wrath  and  despair!  He  sinks  down  in  the 
deep  grave  of  sorrow,  and  no  angel  voice,  no 
resurrection  trump  shall  wake  him  up  to  hope 
and  joy,  any  more !  O  sinner !  sinner  !  You 
have  rejected  this  Saviour  already  too  long. 
O  !  be  entreated  to  reject  him  no  more  !  Sub- 
mit now.  This  may  be  your  last  call,  your 
last  day ! 

4.  How  great  will  be  the  happiness  of  the 
redeemed  in  heaven  ! — After  such  preparation, 
and  such  cost  to  bring  them  to  that  blessed 
world  above,  how  dear,,  O  how  precious  will 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  105 

they  be  in  the  eyes  of  him  who  brought  them 
there !  -How  will  he  beautify  them  with  salva- 
tion !  How  will  he  pour  into  their  souls  the 
full  tide  of  heavenly  and .  never-ending  joy ! 
"  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  hath  it 
entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  what  things  God 
hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him."  , 

O  heaven !  sweet  heaven !  the  dwelling  place 
of  love  and  joy  f — the  purchase  of  a  Saviour's 
blood ! — the  Christian's  rest,  the  pilgrim's  home ! 
O  heaven,  sweet  heaven!  there  rolls  the  river 
of  pleasure ! — there  flourishes  the  tree  of  life ! 
there  saints  and  angels  mingling  their  splen- 
dors, have  one  continued  festival,  one  never- 
ending  jubilee  !  "  Visions  of  glory  !  how  ye 
crowd  upon  my  aching  sight !"  ''Praise  God 
from  the  heavens !  praise  him  in  the  heights. 
Praise  ye  him,  all  his  angels,  praise  ye  him  all 
his  hosts.  Praise  ye  him  sun  and  moon;  praise 
him  all  ye  stars  of  light.  Praise  ye  him,  ye 
heaven  of  heavens,  and  ye  waters  that  be 
above  the  heavens.  Let  them  praise  the  name 
of  the  Lord.  Praise  the  Lord  from  the  earth, 
ye  dragons  and  all  deeps.  Fire,  and  hail,  and 
snow,  -and  vapour,  and  stormy  wind  fulfilling 
his  word.  Mountains  and  all  hills;  fruitful 
trees  and  all  cedars ;  beasts  and  all  cattle ;  creep- 
ing things,  and  flying  fowl:  kings  of  the 
earth,  and  all  people ;  princes,  and  all  judges 
of  the  earth:  both  young  men,  and  maidens, 
old  men,  and   children,  let   them   praise   the 

8 


106  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

Lord;  for  his  name  alone  is  excellent,  his  glory 
is  above  the  earth  and  heaven.  Praise  God  in 
his  sanctuary ;  praise  him  in  the  firmament  of 
his  power:  praise  him  for  his"  mighty  acts; 
praise  him  according  to  his  excellent  great- 
ness :  praise  him  with  the  sound  of  the  trum- 
pet; praise  him  with  the  psaltery  and  harp ; 
praise  him  with  the  timbrel  and  dance;  praise 
him  with  strino^ed  instruments  and  org-ans: 
praise  him  upon  the  loud  cymbals,  praise  him 
upon  the  high-sounding  cymbals.  Let  every 
thing  that  hath  breath  praise  the  Lord !"  Praise 
the  Lord,  0  my  soul ! 


SERMON  IV.     . 

THE    USES    OF    THE    LAW. 
Wherefore  then  serveth  the  law? — Galatians  iii.  19. 

My  brethren,  the  great  doctrines  of  grace  were 
precious  doctrines  with  the  Apostle  Paul.  Al- 
though he  was  a  man  of  blameless  morality, 
of  ardent  piety,  of  quenchless  and  untiring 
zeal;  although  he  w^as  a  man  who  had  done 
and  suffered  more  in  the  cause  of  his  divine 
Master  than  any  other  man,  probably,  that 
ever  lived,  yet,  when  he  comes  to  speak  of 
his  acceptance  with  his  Maker,  he  makes  no 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  107 

mention  of  any  of  these  things.  "  Christ  is  all 
his  hope,  and  grace  is  all  his  song."  He  relies 
upon  the  finished .  righteousness  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ;  imputed  to  him  and  received  by- 
faith  alone.  This  doctrine,  so  humbling  to 
the  pride  of  the  ■  human  heart,  the  apostle 
gloried  in;  and,  on  more  occasions  than  one, 
he  enters  into  an  argument  to  show  how  latter- 
ly impossible  it  is  for  the  sinner  to  obtain 
justification  with  God  in  any  other  way.  In 
the  third  chapter  of  his  Epistle  to  the  llo- 
mans,  he  enters  fully  upon  the  subject,  and 
winds  up  in  this^w^ay:  "Therefore,  we  con- 
clude that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith,  without 
the  deeds  of  the  law."  In  the  next  chapter 
he  presents  the  same  idea,  but  in  language 
still  stronger  and  more  decisive:  "To  him  that 
worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justi- 
fieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for 
righteousness."  Presenting  the  doctrine  of 
justification  by  the  imputed  righteousness  of 
Christ,  and  that  alone,  in  a  manner  so  clear 
and  strong,  the  apostle  was  aware  that  some 
might  charge  him  with  Antinomian  sentiments; 
as  if<he  undervalued  the  law;  as  if  he  would 
set  it  aside  as  a  dead  letter,  and  thus  en- 
courage men  to  continue  in  sin,  that  grace 
might  abound.  How  does  he  meet  this  cavil? 
How  does  he  repel  t)iis  charge?  With  holy 
indignation !  "  Do  we  then  make  void  the  law, 
through  faith?"   says  he:   "  God  forbid !   yea, 


108  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

we  establish  the  law,"  He  insists  upon  it  that 
the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  in  the 
Redeemer,  and  by  that  alone,  is  a  wholesome 
doctrine,  has  no  licentious  tendency  what- 
ever, but  is  the  very  doctrine  which  honours 
the  law,  and  secures  its  best  obedience. 

And  now,  going  in  the  wake  of  the  Apostle, 
I  wish,  before  laying  before  you  the  uses  of 
the  law,  to  give  a  bird's  eye  view  of  the  doc- 
trine of  justification.  In  the  matter  of  the  sin- 
ner's acceptance  with  God,  we  firmly  believe 
that  good  works  form  no  part  whatever — "  the 
death  of  Christ  must  still  remain,  sufficient 
and  alone."  If  the  sinner  were  a  thousand 
times  better  than  he  is,  that  would  be  no 
ground  of  hope ;  if  he  were  a  thousand  times 
worse  than  he  is,  that  need  be  no  ground  of 
despair ;  for,  mark,  if  he  were  a  thousand  times 
better  than  he  is,  he  never  could  be  saved 
without  coming  to  Christ';  if  a  thousand  times 
worse  than  he  is,  coming  to  Christ,  in  the  over- 
flowings of  a  penitent  and  believing  heart,  he 
would,  immediately,  be  encircled  in  the  arms 
of  God's  parental  and  forgiving  love.  So  that, 
(and  I  repeat  it,)  in  the  matter  of  the  sinner's 
acceptance  with  God,  (so  far  as  merit  in  the 
sinner  is  concerned,)  good  works  form  no  part 
whatever.  "  The  death  of  Christ  must  still 
remain  sufficient  and  alone."  Do  any  charge 
me  with  Antinomian  sentiments,  and  say,  "  O, 
sir,  is  not  that  a  dangerous  doctrine?"     I  repel 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  109 

the  charge,  as  the  apostl6  did,  with  holy  in- 
dignation. Do  we  then  make  void  the  law 
through  faith  ?  God  forbid  !  Yea,  we  establish 
the  law :  we  insist  upon  it,  that  the  doctrine  of 
justification,  bj»the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
and  that  alone,  is  most  wholesome,  and  is  the ' 
very  doctrine  which  prompts  to  the  best  obe- 
dience. Do  you  ask,  how?  I  answer  in  this 
way : — The  sinner  is  awakened.  Finding  him- 
self under  the  curse  of  God's  righteous  law,  he 
is  alarmed,  and  goes  about  to  make  satisfac- 
tion, to  establish  his  own  righteousness;  in 
other  words,  he  tries  to  save  himself  After 
many  efforts,  finding  no  relief  in  that  way,  he 
comes  to  the  conviction  that  he  is  indeed  a 
poor,  lost,  ruined  sinner;  and  when  he  is 
ready  to  give  up,  and  thinks  that  there  is  no 
hope  for  him,  then  Christ  is  revealed  in  his 
heart,  the  hope  of  glory;  the  effect  is,  Christ 
becomes  precious! — love  becomes  the  ruling 
passion  of  the  soul;  and  we  all  know,  that 
love  willmake  us  do  what  nothing  else  possi- 
bly can.  Do  we  then  make  void  the  law, 
through  faith ?  God  forbid!  Yea,  we  establish 
the  law.  But  some  one  may  then  say,  "  If 
justification  cannot  come  by  the  law,  wherefore 
then  serveth  the  law?"  Should  I  say  that  food 
cannot  clothe  us,  do  I  say  that  food  is  of  no 
use  ?  Should  I  say  that  clothing  cannot  feed 
us,  am  I  crying  down  the  use  of  clothing  ?  Cer- 
tainly not.     Every  thing  is  good~  in  its  own 


110  REVIVAL  .SERMONS. 

place,  and  for  its  own  use.  Even  so  in  the 
case  before  us.  Faith  serves  to  justify  the  soul 
before  God,  and  good  works  serve  to  justify 
faith  before  men.  In  other  words,  one  is  the 
fruit-bearing  tree;  the  other  the  fruit  itself, 
which  this  good  tree  bears.  Havinsr  given  this 
brief  bird's-eye  view  of  the  doctrine  of  justifica- 
tion, I  proceed  next  to  lay  before  you  some  of 
the  most  important  uses  of  the  law. 

1.  One  important  use  of  the  law  is  to  declare 
the  sovereignty  of  God: — to  assert  his  supreme 
and  everlasting  dominion  over  us.  Some  mi- 
nute philosophers,  after  descanting  upon  the 
amplitude  and  wonders  of  creation,  tell  us, 
that  "man  is  but  an  atom  of  an  atom  world," 
a,nd  therefore  too  insignificant  to  be  noticed  by 
the  great  God ;  but,  let  it  be  remembered,  that 
there  is,  so  to  speak,  a  twofold  universe;  a  uni- 
verse of  worlds  and  systems,  and  also  a  universe 
of  minute  existences — animalcules,  for  exam- 
ple, so  exceedingly  minute,  that  it  would  re- 
quire a  thousand  of  them  to  occupy  the  space 
of  a  grain  of  sand !  And  now,  if,  in  comparison 
with  the  one  universe,  man  dwindles  into  in- 
significance and  becomes  "an  atom  of  an  atom 
world ;"  in  comparison  with  the  Other  universe, 
man  rises  into  vast  importance — becomes  a 
giant,  a  colossus,  a  world,  a  universe  in  him- 
self, and  therefore  worthy  of  notice — the  mi- 
nute philosopher  himself  being  judge.  But 
this  matter  apart :  the  law  itself  proves,  that, 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  Ill 

however  insignificant  man  is,  in  comparison 
with  the  immensity  of  the  w^orks  of  God,  he  is 
deemed  of  sufficient  importance  to  be  made  the 
subject  of  divine  legislation.  The  very  ex- 
istence of  the  law  proves  this ;  whilst  its  com- 
pass makes  known  God's  determination  to  em- 
brace all  men,  and  all  their  actions;  and  its 
spirituality,  proves  the  purpose  of  God  to  lay 
his  hand  upon  the  very  springs  of  action. 
And,  to  crown  the  whole,  the  penalty  of  the 
law  shows  the  divine  determination  to  notice 
every  violation  of  the  law,  and  to  suff'er  it  in 
no  case  to  be  trampled  upon  w^ith  impunity. 
My  brethren,  it  is  a  good  thing  to  have  the 
sceptre  of  the  God  of  heaven  over  us;  but  a 
still  better  thing,  if  possible,  to  know  that  this 
sceptre  is  over  us.  Now  this  law  is  a  standing 
memorial  of  the  fact :  it  declares,  that  God  is 
our  Sovereign ;  that  we  are  recognized  as  the 
subjects  of  his  moral  government ;  and  that  we 
should  act  accordingly.  Certainly  this  is  a 
very  important  and  most  excellent  use  of  the 
law. 

2.  A  second  Bnd  very  important  use  of  the 
law,  is  to  furnish  a  perfect  code  of  moral  pre- 
cepts ;  and  that  it  is  perfect,  we  have  demon- 
strated, as  we  think,  in  our  first  discourse.* 
But  the  evidence  thereof  may  also  be  seen  in 
the  very  remarkable  fact,  that  no  one,  so  far  as 

*  See  page  18. 


112  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

I  know,  has  ever  suggested  an  amendment. 
Our  representatives  in  Congress,  embracing 
the  collected  wisdom  of  the  nation,  are  annu- 
ally engaged  in  making  laws,  and  amending 
and  repealing  them,  and  making  new  laws : 
but  here  we  have  a  code  of  laws  given  more 
than  three  thousand  years  'ago,  and,  if  I  mis- 
take not,  no  enlightened,  and  virtuous  man  has 
ever  desired  their  amendment  or  repeal.  In 
this  point  of  view,  then,  the  moral  law  as 
given  in  the  Bible,  is  of  great  use,  of  immense 
value. 

3.  Another  important  use  of  the  law  is  to.  curb 
the  wicked — to  hold  them  in  check.  The  pro- 
hibitions of  the  law  are  as  so  many  mountain 
barriers  placed  in  the  way  of  the  transgressor; 
and  when  these  barriers  are  passed,  then  comes 
the  penalty  of  the  law,  like  some  mighty  angel 
standing  in  the  path  of  the  transgressor,  with 
a  drawn  sword  in  his  hand,  threatening  •  to 
cleave  him  down,  and  thunderino-  in  his  ear  at 
every  step  the  much  needed  warning — "Stand 
in  awe  and  sin  not !"     But, 

4.  The  law  is  of  use  to  convince  the  sinner 
that  he  is  a  sinner,  a  great  sinner,  lost,  ruined, 
and  undone.  "  By  the  law,"  says  the  apostle, 
"is  the  knowledge  of  sin."  It  may  be  con- 
sidered as  a  mirror,  in  which  the  sinner  sees 
the  defects  and  obliquities  of  his  own  moral 
character;  or,  as  a  kind  of  balance,  in  which 
sinners   and    their  actions    are   weighed   and 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  113 

found  wanting'.  Now,  let  any  candid  man 
take  the  ten  commandments — let  him  read 
them  all  over  carefully;  and,  reviewing  his  life, 
let  him  say,  if  he  can,  "All  these  command- 
ments I  have  strictly  kept,  from  my  youth  up; 
I  have  broken  not  one."  No,  he  cannot,  but 
must  rather  say,  with  Job — "  If  I  justify  my- 
self, mine  own  mouth  shall  condemn  me :  If  I 
say  I  am  perfect,  it  shall  also  prove  me  per- 
verse." But  the  law  is  of  use,  not  only  to 
convince  the  sinner  that  he  is  a  sinner,  but 
that  he  is  a  great  sinner ;  that  his- sins  are  very 
numerous,  ^and  of  great  magnitude ;  only  let 
him  take  the  law  of  the  ten  commandments, 
and  read  it,  in  connexion  with  our  Saviour's 
sermon  upon  the  mount,  expounding  its  ex- 
tent and  spirituality;  and,  if  I  mistake  not,  he 
will  have  such  views  of  himself  as  he  never 
had  before.  Sins  of  omission  and  sins  of 
commission;  sins  of  thought,  of  word,  and  of 
deed,  how  very  many !  And,  0 !  if  the  Spirit 
of  God  should  pour  light  upon  the  mind  of 
the  sinner,  and  set  home  the  claims  of  the  law 
upon  his  conscience  with  divine  power,  me- 
thinkg"  he  will' better  understand  the  lanornaofe 
of  Eliphaz  to  Job:  "Is  not  thy  wickedness 
great?  and  thine  iniquities  infinite?" — "  I  was 
alive  without  the  law,  once,"  says  the  apostle, 
"but  when  the  commandment  came,  sin  re- 
vived, and  I  died."  Time  was,  when  he 
thought  himself  no  great  sinner;   "his  hopes 


114  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

of  heaven  were  firm  and  bright,"  but  when 
the  commandment  came,  with  a  convincing 
power  and  Ught,  his  views  were  changed,  and 
he  had  to  confess  himself  to  be  a  great  sinner, 
yea,  even  the  cliief  of  sinners.  The  language 
of  the  poet,  I  presume,  many  in  this  assembly 
can  well  understand. 

"  My  sins  appeared,  but  small  before, 

'Till  terribly  I  saw 
How  perfect,  holy,  just,  and  pure, 

Was  thine  eternal  law. 
Then  felt  my  soul  the  heavy  load, 

My  sins  revived  again  ; 
I  had  provoked  a  dreadful  God,  '     . 

And  all  my  hopes  were  slain  !" 

But  the  law  is  of  use  to  convince  the  sinner 
that  he  is  a  great  sinner,  by  its  dreadful  penal- 
ty. In  human  legislation,  it  is  deemed  a  mat- 
ter of  vital  importance  to  proportion,  as  far  as 
possible,  the  punishment  to  the  offence;  and 
if  this  principle  be  flagrantly  violated,  all  cry 
out  against  the  law.  For  exam,ple :  suppose 
the  legislature  of  this  State  should  make  a  law 
of  this  kind,  that  whoever  shall.be  convicted 
of  murder,  in  the  first  degree,  shall  be  fined 
one  dollar,  and  imprisoned  one  hour.  Would 
not  all  .cry  out  against  that  law? — and  why? 
Because  the  proportion  between  the  punish- 
ment and  the  offence  is  not  maintained.  What! 
the  penalty  for  wilful  murder  only  one  dollar 
fine,  and  one  hour  imprisonment!    This  will 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  115 

never  do.  Well,  suppose,  at  the  next  session 
of  the  legislature  this  law  should  be  repealed, 
and  a  law  of  this  kind  enacted: — If  a  person 
shall  defraud  another  to  the  amount  of  five 
dollars,  upon  conviction  thereof,  he  shall  suf- 
fer death,  without  benefit  of  clergy  ?  Would 
not  all  intelligent  persons  throughout  the  State 
cry  out  against  this  law  also? — and  why?  For 
the  same  reason  as  in  the  other  case — the 
principle  of  proportioning  the  punishment  to 
the  offence  is  not  regarded.  Now,  if  this  prin- 
ciple be  important  in  human  governments, 
why  may  it  not  be  in  the  divine  ?  The  Ruler 
of  the  universe  must  certainly  fully  under- 
stand this  matter,  and  be  aware  of  its  immense 
importance.  And  now,  what  is  the  penalty  of 
the,  divine  law?  "  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it 
shall  die."  "  Indignation  and  wTath,  tribula- 
tion and  anguish  upon  every  soul  of  man  that 
sinneth."  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that  con- 
tinueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book 
of  the  law,  to  do  them."  That  is,  according  to 
the  Scriptures,  every  sin  deserves  the  wTath 
•and  curse  of  God,  both  in  this  life  and  that 
w^hich  is  to  come ;  or,  in  other  words,  everlast- 
ing perdition  is  the  penalty  of  God's  violated 
law.  This,  my  brethren,  is  an  awful  penalty. 
Now,  then,  if  the  sinner  be  not  a  great  sinner, 
one  of  two  things  must  be  true — either  that 
God  lacks  understanding,  or,  he  is  a  malig- 
nant Being !    Certainly  he  does  not  lack  un- 


116  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

derstanding,  for  he  is  the  "  Only  Wise  God." 
He  cannot  lack  understanding,  for  is  he  not 
the  Tinoriginat^d  Source  of  all  intelligence? 
No !  no !  his  understanding  is  infinite.  He 
knows  precisely  the  true  demerit  of  sin,  and 
he  knows  perfectly  how  to  proportion  the 
punishment  to  the  offence;  this  must  be  ad- 
mitted by  all:  then,  if  the  sinner  still  denies 
that  he  is  a  great  sinner,  he  must  come  to  this 
frightful  and  blasphemous  conclusion,  that 
God,  knowing  full  well  how  to  proportion  the 
punishment  to  the  offence,  fixes  the  penalty 
vastly  beyond  what  he  knows  to  be  just !  O ! 
my  friends,  this  cannot  be,  for  God  is  Love, 
and  he  has .  given  the  most  affecting  proof  of 
his  kind  regards  for  man,  by  sending  his  only 
begotten  and  well-beloved  Son  to  die  for  our 
sinful  race.  God,  then,  being  infinitely  wise, 
and  knowing  precisely  what  sin  deserves — be- 
ing infinitely  good,  and  having  no  disposition 
to  make  the  penalty  too  severe,  it  follows  ne- 
cessarily, that,  whether  the  sinner  is  convinced 
of  it  or  not,  in  the  sight  of  God  he  is  a  great 
sinner,  an  awful  sinner,  a  hell-deserving  sin- 
ner! 

There  are  several  reasons  why  the  sinner 
may  not  be  sensible  of  the  exceeding  sinfulness 
of  sin,  and  consequently  -of  his  own  demerit  as 
a  sinner.  1.  He  knows  not  the  excellence  of 
the  law  which  he  has  violated.  The  more  ex- 
cellent a  law  is,  and  the  more  intimately  con- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  117 

nected  it  may  be,  with  matters  of  vital  im- 
portance, the  greater  is  the  crime  of  violating 
that  law.  To  illustrate  my  meaning:  In  the 
world  of  nature,  the  principle  of  gravitation  is 
a  principle  of  vital  importance,  causing  all 
worlds  and  things  to  maintain  their  proper 
stations,  and  move  in  beauteous  and  delightful 
harmony.  Now,  suppose  a  blow  could  be 
given  to  that  principle  of  gravitation,  derang- 
ing the  harmony  of  all  worlds,  and  causing 
worlds  and  systems  to  dash  together  in  wild 
confusion;  would  not  that  blow,  thus  given, 
and  thus  operating,  be  a  very  serious  matter  ? 
Now,  let  it  be  remembered,  that  what  the 
principle  of  gravitation  is  in  the  natural  world, 
the  principle  of  love  is  in  the  moral  world — 
that  which  binds  every  thing  in  harmony  with 
each  other,  and  all  to  the  throne  of  God ;  there- 
fore, all  the  requirements  of  the  law,  being 
summed  up  in  love,  as  the  Saviour  teaches, 
sin,  which  breaks  the  law,  of  course  strikes  a 
blow  at  this  principle  of  moral  harmony;  and, 
O !  in  the  frightful  history  of  human  depravity, 
and  in  the  present  sad  condition  of  our  fallen 
world,  we  have  an  exhibition  of  the  nature  of 
sin,  showing  that,  of  a  truth,  it  is  no  light  mat- 
ter, but  is  an  evil  of  unspeakable  magnitude.  It 
wars  against  love,  and  against  the  well-being 
and  happiness  of  all  the  creatures  which  God 
has  made. 

Another  reason  why  the  sinner  may  not  be 


118.  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

duly  conscious  of  the  fact,  is  this,  that  he  does 
not  reflect,  as  he  should,  upon  the  character  of 
that  Beinof  ag^ainst  whom  his  sin  is  committed. 
It  is  not  against  a  man,  a  worm  like  our- 
selves, nor  an  angel,  but  against  the  great  God 
of  heaven  and  earth,  to  whom  also  we  are 
indebted  for  our  existence,  and  every  blessing, 
that  he  has  sinned;  as  the  Psalmist  says, 
"  Against  thee,  thee  only,  have  I  sinned,  and 
done  this  evil  in  thy  sight,  that  thou  mightest 
be  justified  when  thou  speakest ;  and  be  clear 
when  thou  judgest."  If  a  man  strike  a  blow  at 
another,  it  is  a  violation  of  law,  and  deserves 
punishment;  if  the  person  who  was  struck  was 
a  master,  or  a  father,  venerable  by  reason  of 
silvery  locks  and  hoary  age,  the  offence  is 
greater,  and  deserves  a  severer  punishment. 
But  suppose  the  person  upon  whom  the  blow 
was  inflicted,  to  be  a  king,  a  lawful  monarch 
upon  his  throne,  in  robes  of  royalty — certainly 
the  offence  would  be  still  greater,  and  the 
punishment  deserved,  still  more  condign:  thus 
the  criminality  of  the  act  and  its  punishment 
must  be  graduated  by  the  character  or  the  dig- 
nity of  the  person  against  whom  the  offence  has 
been  committed.  Now,  sin  strikes  a  blow  at 
the  Eternal  God !  our  Heavenly  Father,  our 
Divine  Master,  the  Ancient  of  Days,  and  the 
alone  Monarch  of  all  worlds.  Yes,  sin  strikes 
a  blow  at  this  great  and  glorious  Being ;  pour- 
ing contempt  upon  all  the  perfections  of  his 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  119 

character,  and  doing  what  it  can  to  lay  his 
sacred  honours  in  the  dust.  Now,  if  the  prin- 
ciple of  graduation  be  correct,  (and  certainly  it 
is,)  then,  God  being  an  infinite  being,  sin  against 
him  is  an  offence  of  infinite  magnitude,  and  de- 
serving of  infinite  punishment. 

But,  yet  another  reason  why  the  sinner  may 
not  understand  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin-, 
and  his  own  demerit,  is  this— he  does  not  think 
how  much  evil  may  flow  from  one  sinful  act. 
"  Behold,  how  great  a  matter  a  little  fire  kind- 
leth  !"  A  single  spark  of  fire  may  be  consid- 
ered a  small  matter,  but  let  it  be  struck,  in  a 
magazine  of  gunpowder,  or  let  it  kindle  upon  a 
dwelling,  in  a  large  city,  and  it  may  extend, 
and  extend,  and  extend,  until  the  whole  city  is 
laid  in  ruins !  Here  is  a  lake,  having  a  smooth 
surface ;  a  stone  is  cast  into  that  lake ;  ripples 
are  formed,  and  their  concentric  circles  spread, 
and  spread,  and  spread,  until,  perchance,  they 
sweep  the  farthest  shore !  Here  are  a  thousand 
crystal  pillars,  of  immense  value,  upon  a  level 
plain,  all  standing  in  a  row.  An  impulse  is 
given ^to  the  first,  which  tlirows  it  down;  in  fall- 
ing, that  pillar  strikes  a  second,  and  that,  in 
falling,  strikes  a  third ;  and  so  on  to  the  last — 
and  lo !  a  thousand  crystal  pillars  lie  shattered 
upon  the  ground,  all  traced  to  the  single  im- 
pulse given  to  the  first  pillar !  Here  is  a  man, 
a  father;  in  the  presence  of  his  little  boy,  he 
utters  an  oath ;  that  little  boy  catches  that  oath 


120  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

from  his  father's  lips— 'he  becomes  profane — 
and,  through  all  time  profaneness  is  handed 
down,  it  may  be,  from  generation  to  generation, 
until  it  leads,  perchance,  to  the  perdition  of  a 
hundred  thousand  souls !  O !  think  of  the 
frightful  consequences  of  the  first  sin  commit- 
ted by  the  first  human  pair.  One  poet  says, 
and  very  correctly, 

"  Our  mother  took  the  poisoned  fruit, 
'  And  tainted  all  our  blood." 

And  another,  graphically  says, 

" her  rash  hand  in  evil  hour, 


Forth  reaching  to  the  fruit,  she  plucked,  she  ate  ! 
Earth  felt  the  wound  !  and  Nature,  from  her  seat. 
Sighing  through  all  her  works,  gave  signs  of  woe  ! 
That  all  was  lost !" 

No  man  knows,  or  can  know,  all  the  bearings 
and  ultimate  effects  of  sin;  .for  the  consequen- 
ces thereof,  may  not  only  flow  down  the  long 
stream  of- time,  but,  through  the  wide  ocean  of 
eternity  ! .  The  fact  is,  it  is  none  but  God  who 
knows,  or  can  know,  what  a  dreadful  evil  sin 
is!  In  fixing  the  penalty  of  the  law  he  has 
given  his  estimate  of  it.  This  is  his  judgment, 
and  we  are  sure  his  judgment  is  true.  Of 
course,  then,  vv^hether  the  sinner  be  sensible  of 
it  or  not,  he  is  a  great  sinner.  O  excellent  use 
of  the  law,  to  convince  the  sinner  that  tremen- 
dous guilt  lies  upon  his  soul !    This  conviction 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  121 

is  wholesome ;  this  conviction  is  necessary ; — 
for,  if  not  convinced  of  our  sin,  we  shall  never 
feel  as  we  should  our  need  of  a  Saviour.  "The 
whole,"  says  the  Saviour,  "  have  no  need  of  a 
physician,  but  they  that  are  sick."  "  I  came 
not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repent- 
anccw"  Be  entreated  then,  my  unconverted 
friends,  not  to'  brace  yourselves  up  against  con- 
viction. Be  willing  to  know  the  truth,  how- 
ever it  may  startle  you,  and  humble  you,  and 
lay  your  soul  in  the  dust; — for,  thank  God,  "it 
is  a  faithful  saying  and  worthy  of  all  accepta- 
tion, that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to 
to  save  sinners" — even  the  chief.  But,  to  pro- 
ceed. In  speaking  of  the  claims  and  penalties 
of  the  law,  some  may  object  to  its  severity,  in 
several  things.  For  example,  when  they  hear 
the  sentence  denounced,  "  Cursed  is  every  one 
that  continueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law,  to  do  them;" — perceiving  that 
the  "moral  man,"  so  called,  if  a  sinner  at  all, 
is  as  truly  brought  under  the  curse  of  the  law 
as  the  greatest  transgressor,  they  think  that 
this  is  not  just.  What!  one  single  sin  expos- 
ing the  soul  to  the  penalty  of  the  law?  Yes, 
certainly,  in  the  very  nature  of  the  case,  this 
must  be  so.  Here  is  a  man  who  has  burned 
down  the  house  of  his  neighbour.  He  is  arrest- 
ed, he  is  convicted  of  the  crime  of  arson.  What 
is  the  penalty  for  arson  in  this  commonwealth? 
Is  it  imprisonment?  or  is  it  death?     No  matter 

9 


122  REVIVAL    SERMOI^S. 

what  it  is,  the  person  convicted  of  burning 
down  one  house,  is  as  certainly  exposed  to  the 
penalty,  as  if  he  had  burned  down  a  thousand. 
Now,  if  this  principle  is  admitted  to  be  correct 
in  human  law,  why  should  it  not  also  be  deem- 
ed correct  in  the  divine  law  ?  Besides,  does  not 
the  apostle  James  say,  "  He  that  offendeth  in 
one  point,  is  guilty  of  all?"  If  one  link  in  a 
chain  be  broken,  the  chain  as  certainly  falls  to 
th-e  ground  as  if  every  link  had  been  broken. 
I  do  not  say  that  the  pangs  of  the  second  death 
will  be  as  great  for  one  transgressor  as  for 
another;  but  it  is  certain,  that  the  second 
death  awaits  every  transgressor,  according  to 
the  provisions  of  the  law,  for  we  repeat  dt,  it 
is  written,  and  it  must  stand  for  ever,  "  Cursed 
is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things 
written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them." 

Another  objection  is  based  upon  the  doctrine 
of  everlasting  punishment,  which  the  law  de- 
nounces. The  point  of  the  objection  is  this : — 
that  a  person  should  be  everlastingly  punished 
in  the  world  to  come,  for  the  sins  committed 
in  this  brief  state  of  existence.  "There  is 
no  proportion,"  says  the  objector,  "  between 
the  time  occupied  in  the  commission  of  sin, 
and  the  duration  of  the  punishment."  And 
is  there  any  reference  to  the  time  occupied  in 
human  law?  Here  is  a  man  who  draws  a 
pistol,  fires  it,  and,  in  one  second  of  time, 
his  enemy  falls  dead  at  his  feet!     He  is  ar- 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  123 

rested-— lie '  is'  tried  for  wilful  murder  : — all 
the  ■\^itnesses  agree  that  he  did  fire  the  pistol, 
and  did  thus  murder  the  man.  Now,  the 
lawyer  rises  to  plead  for  his  client  at  the 
bar, — and  some  of  these  lawyers,  w^e  know, 
are  very  learned  and  ingenious — but  did  you 
ever  hear  a  sins^le  lawver  brincr  forward  an 
argument  of  this  kind? — "May  it  please  the 
court,  my  client  stands  indicted  on  a  charge 
of  murder;  I  admit  that  my  client  did  mur- 
der the-  deceased,  but  I  wish  your  honour 
and  the  gentlemen  of  the  jury  to  notice,  that 
it  did  not  take  my  client  twenty  years  to 
perpetrate  the  deed ;  nor  ten — nor  even  one ! 
It  was  the  work  of  a  second.  I  hope  the 
court  will  perceive  that  the  offence  is  a  tri- 
fling one,  and  that  your  honour,  without 
further  delay,  will  direct  the  sheriff  to  dis- 
miss the  jury !"  Did  you  ever  hear  of  any 
lawyer,  learned  or  not,  make  a  speech  of  this 
kind?  I  suspect  not.  Well,  the  judge  gives 
the  charge.  Did  you  ever  hear  a  judge  give 
a  charge  of  this  kind : — "  Gentlemen  of  the 
jury,  you  have  heard  the  testimony  and .  all 
the  pleadings  in- the  present  case;  and  now, 
it  only  remains  for  me  to  give  you  the 
charge.  Gentlemen  of  the  jury,  two  points 
will  engage  your  attention.  First — matter  of 
fact.  Secondly,  matter  of  law.  With  regard 
to  the  first  point — you  have  heard  the  tes- 
timony of  the  witnesses,  and  the  case  is  ad- 


124  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

mitted,  even  by  the  counsel  for  the  prisoner 
to  be  clear;  he  murdered  the  man,  and  now 
it  only  remains  for  me  to  instruct  you,  in 
the  matter  of  the  lav^."  Gentlemen  of  the 
jury,  you  are  to  inquire,  diligently,  how 
long  it  took  the  prisoner  at  the  bar  to  mur- 
der the  deceased.  If  it  took  him  twenty 
years,  it  is  a  great  -.offence  against  the  •  law, 
and  calls  for  a  heavy  punishment.  If  it  took 
him  ten  years,  it  is  only  half  as  great  an 
offence,  and  deserves  only  half  that  punish- 
ment. If  it  took  one  year,  it  is  only  one- 
twentieth  part  as  serious  an  offence;  but  if 
you  find  evidence  to  believe  that  the  perpe- 
tration of  the  deed  occupied  no  more  than 
a  second  of  time,  it  is  a  matter  of  no  conse- 
quence   at  all,   and  you   will    clear  the   pri- 


soner 


I" 


Did  you  ever  hear,  my  brethren,  of  any 
learned  judge  giving  a  charge  of  this  kind? 
He  had  better  not.  It  would  be  a  rightful 
ground  of  impeachment.  Human  law  lays  no 
stress  upon  the  time  occupied  in  the  violation 
of  the  law,  the  simple  question  is,  touching 
the  fact  of  violation : — that  fact  established,  the 
penalty  follows  as  a  matter  of  course,  whether 
the  time  occupied  has  been  long  or  short.  If 
this  principle  be  correct  in  human  law,  why 
may  it  not  also  be  correct  in  that  law  which  is 
divine?  But,  farther :  does  not  the  law  of  the 
land   also,  in  many  cases,  recognize  and  act 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  125 

upon  the  principle  of  everlasting  punishment? 
Here  is  a  man  convicted  of  murder,  and  he  is 
sentenced  to  die.  Do  you  ever  see  him  at  the 
ballot-box  any  more?  Do  you  ever  see  him 
on  the  street,  in  the  store,  at  the  neighbour's 
house,  or  even  at  his  own  home  any  more? 
The  other  day  he  was  a  freeman,  and  in- 
vested with  all  the  rights  and  privileges  of 
a  good  citizen,  but,  by  the  latv  of  the  land, 
he  is  stripped  of  these  rights  and  privileges, 
and  stripped  of  them  for  ever.  But  take 
another  case — the  case  of  confinement  for  life 
in  the  penitentiary.  The  man  is  there!  if  he 
lives  five  years,  he  is  there  five  years !  if  he 
lives  ten  years,  he  is  thiere  ten  years!  if  he 
lives  twenty,  thirty,  forty,  fifty  years,  he  is 
there  still,  and  never  comes  out.  The  idea  is 
this :  human  law  was  made  for  the  body.  It 
grasps  the  body  of  the  offender,  as  it  were^ 
with  an  iron  grasp,  and  never  lets  go  so  long 
as  it  can  retain  its  grasp,  that  is,  until  the 
body  dies.  Even  so  the  di\dne  law,  made  for 
the  soul,  grasps  the  soul,  and  will  not  let  go, 
so  long  as  it  can  retain  its  grasp ;  that  is,  until 
the  "soul  dies :  but  the  soul  never  dies,  there- 
fore the  punishment  is  everlasting. 

This  is  an  argument  which,  I  humbly  con- 
ceive, cannot  be  set  aside  by  the  wit  or  inge- 
nuity of  any  man,  especially  as  it  falls  in  with 
the  solemn  declaration  of  our  blessed  Saviour, 
"  Where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire 


126  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

is  not  quenched."  Another  idea  connected 
with  the  subject  is  this,  that  those  who  die 
in  an  unregenerate  state  go  to  the  world  of 
woe,  with  the  carnal  mind  which  is  enmity 
against  God.  They  will,  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  blaspheme  the  God  of  heaven,  be- 
cause of  their  pains,  and  repent  not;  that  is, 
they  will  continue  to  sin,  and  if  they  continue 
to  sin,  may  not  God  continue  to  punish  them? 
Kemember  the  closing  words  of  the  twenty- 
fifth  chapter  of  Matthew :  "  These,"  (the  wick- 
ed,) "shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punish- 
ment, but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal."  Let 
none  trifle  with  matters  of  such  immense  im- 
portance. Go,  careless  sinner  !  trifle  with  the 
forked  lightning !  Go,  trifle  with  the  sweep- 
ing whirlwind !  and  trifle  with  the  raging  pes- 
tilence !  but  trifle  not,  O  trifle  not,  with  the 
interests  of  that  immortal  soid  of  yours,  which 
must  be  saved  or  lost,  happy  or  miserable, 
through  all  eternity ! 

But,  as  w^e  have  said,  the  law  is  of  use  to 
convince  the  sinner  not  only  that  he  is  a  sin- 
ner, and  a  very  great  sinner,  but  that  he  is 
also  a  sinner  lost,  ruined,  and  undone.  The 
argument  is  this:  the  law  demands  perfect 
obedience.  The  penalty  is  death.  The  sinner 
has  broken  the  law,  and  the  law  thunders  out, 
"Satisfaction  or  death;"  but  the  sinner  can 
make  no  satisfaction.  Repentance  will  not  do. 
Will  the  merchant  take  tears  in  payment  for 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  127 

M'hat  is  due  him  ?  or  will  repentance  release 
the  murderer,  under  sentence  of  death?  Nor 
will  reformation  answer.  If  the  debtor  says  to 
the  merchant  creditor,  "If  you  will  cancel  my 
debt  I  will  get  in  your  debt  no  more ;  I  will 
turn  over  a  new  leaf,  and  will  pay  cash,  in  all 
time  to  come?"  Will  that  satisfy  the  mer- 
chant?' Or,  if  the  murderer  condemned  to  die, 
should  say  to  the  judge  who  has  pronounced 
the  sentence,  "  I  will  commit  murder  no  more;" 
will  this  satisfy  the  judge,  or  rather  the  law, 
of  which  he  is  but  the  organ?  O  no!  if  all 
debtors  were  released,  and  all  criminals  par- 
doned on  these  terms,  the  very  foundations  of 
society  would  be  broken  up,  and  the  most  im- 
portant affairs  of  human  life  would  be  thrown 
into  perfect  confusion,  and  the  consequences  to 
the  community  would  be  most  alarming.  No, 
my  brethren,  sin  is  too  dreadful  an  evil,  too 
terrible  in  its  tendencies,  for  God  to  treat  it  as 
a  venial  affair.  For  the  good  of  the  universe 
the  law  must  speak  this  language — "  Satisfac- 
tion or  death."  The  sinner  himself  can  make 
no  satisfaction — then  the  sinner  stands  exposed 
to  the  penalty,  like  the  culprit  whose  head  is 
upon  the  block  is  exposed  to  the  axe  of  the 
executioner. 

But  this  leads  me  to  mention  yet  another 
use  of  the  law,  ^nd  one  which  I  love  to  men- 
tion— it  is  this: — To  convince  the  sinner  that 
he  needs  a  saviour,  and  without  an  interest  in 


128  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

the  atoning  sacrifice  of  the  great  Redeemer, 
he  must  perish,  without  mercy  and  without 
hope!  "The  law,'^  says  the  Apostle,  "is  a 
schoolmaster  to  bring  us  to  Christ.  All  its 
precepts  and  all  its  penalties — all  its  lightnings 
and  all  its  thunders,  have  a  direct  and  power- 
ful tendency  to  cut  the  siimer  off  from  all  his 
self-righteous  plans  and  self-righteous  depen- 
dence, and  to  shut  him  up  to  the  plan  proposed 
in  the  gospel.  It  may  be  represented  thus : — 
The  law  finds  the  sinner  careless  and  secure  in 
his  sins;  setting  before  the  sinner  its  claims 
and  penalties,  it  charges  home  guilt  upon  his 
soul.  The  sinner^  waking  up  in  alarm,  pro- 
mises repentance.  "How  can  tears  on  earth 
wash  out  those  sins  written  in  heaven?"  says 
the  law.  "  Pay  what  thou  owest !  The  soul 
that  sinneth,  it  shall  die!"  "0  spare  me," 
cries  the  sinner,  "I  will  not  only  repent  of 
my  sins,  but  I  will  reform.  I  will  becom'e  a 
better  man."  "All  in  vain,"  says  the  law,  "a 
better  sacrifice  is  required ;  without  the  shed- 
ding of  blood,  there  is  no  remission."  "  O, 
well,"  says  the  sinner,  yet  more  alarmed,  "if 
it  must  be  so,  I  consent;-!  am  willing  to  lay 
down  my  life  as  an  atonement  for  my  sins!" 
"  Neither  will  this  answer,"  says  the  law. — 
"You  have  sinned  against  an  infinite^God,  and 
divine  justice  demands  an  infinite  atoneinent, 
or  death.  Thou  canst  not  make  this  -atone- 
ment ;  then  prepare  for  death.    Now  hear  your 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  129 

sentence — Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth 
not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law 
to  do  them!"  0,  dreadful!  the  sinner  is  con- 
demned !  is  sentenced  to  eternal  death !  What 
is  to  be  done?  Let  him  cry  for  mercy!  The 
law  knows  no  mercy;  stern  and  inexorable,  it 
still  rolls  its  thunders  over  the  sinner's  soul, 
"Cursed  is  ev^ry  one  that  continueth  not  in  all 
things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law,  to  do 
them."  And  now  all  the  sinner's  legal  plans 
and  legal  hopes  are  fled,  and  fled  forever !  Un- 
der the  curse  of  God's  righteous  law,  he  is 
sinking  down — sinking  down !  Despair  is 
gathering  its  terrors  around  him !  and  now  he 
gives  himself  up  for  lost.  But,  hark!  what 
sweet  voice  is  that? — "  Poor  sinner !  dying  sin- 
ner !  look  from  the  borders  of  the  pit  to  my 
recovering  grace!" — "Is  this  thy  voice,  my 
Saviour!  my  loving,  bleeding,  dying  Lord?" 
says  the  sinner.  "Welcome,  welcome,  dear  Re- 
deemer! welcome  to  this  heart  of  mine.  O 
blessed  Saviour,  I  take  thee  on  thy  terms,  on 
any  terms — 

'Here  Lord  I  give  myself  away, 
Tis  all  that  I  can  do.'" 

A  stern  master,  as  the  story  goes,  had,  by  his 
repeated  corrections,  embittered  the  life  of  a 
poor  slave.  This  poor  slave  sought  comfort  in 
religion,  and  found  it.  Laid  upon  a  bed  of 
death,  he  was  very  happy;  ready  to  depart,  and 


130  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

to  be  with  Christ,  which  was'  far  better.  At 
this  moment  his  stern  master  stepped  into  his 
room,  and  stood  near  his  dying  bed.  The 
dying  slave  perceived  his  master,  and,  with 
much  emotion,  grasped  his  master's  hand,  and 
brought  it  to  his  Kps,  and  kissed  it,  saying, 
"Blessings  upon  this  hand!  Blessings  upon 
this  hand!  This  hand  has  saved  my  soul!" 
So,  the  sinner  brought  to  Christ  by  the  terrors 
of  the  law,  may  say,  "  Blessings  upon  the  law  ! 
Blessings  upon  the  law !  It  was  stern  and 
severe — it  -humbled  me,  it  scourged  me — it 
taught  ihe  that  I  was  a  sinner,  a  great  sinner, 
a  sinner  lost,  ruined  and  undone — it  made  me 
feel  my  need  of  a  Saviour — it  wa&  a  school- 
mastet  to  bring  me  to  Christ !  Blessings  upon 
the  law!  in  this  w^ay  it  has  saved  my  soul!" 
May  the  law  do  its  office  upon  the  heart  of 
every  sinner  in  this  assembly  this  morning. 
Amen,  and  Amen ! 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  131 


SERMON  V. 

THE  SINNER  WEIGHED  AND  FOUND  WANTING. 

Daniel  v.  27. — Tekel ;  tliou  art  weighed  in  the  balances,  and  art 
found  wanting. 

Amidst  the  darkness  of  heatlienisli  ignorance 
and  superstition,  there  have  not  been  wanting 
plain  and  unequivocal  evidences  of  a  superin- 
tending and  retributive  Providence.  Pharaoh 
was  visited  with  memorable  judgments  for  re- 
fusing to  let  the  children  of  Israel  go;  and 
history  informs  us,  that  not  only  Belshazzar, 
(to  whom  the  words  of  our  text  immediately 
apply,)  but  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  Galerius 
Maximus,  and  many  others,  were  signally  pun- 
ished for  their  daring  impiety.  With  regard 
to  Belshazzar,  he  was  a  most  dissolute  monarch. 
Neglecting  the  affairs  of  his  empire,  he  gave 
himself  up  to  every  excess  of  riot  and  de- 
bauchery :  but  the  measure  of  his  iniquity  was 
now  full.  The  period  was  at  last  arrived, 
when  he  should  reckon  with  his  God.  On 
one  of  the  national  festivals,  (supposed  to  be  in 
honour  of  the  golden  image  which  had  been 
set  up  by  Nebuchadnezzar  in  the  plains  of 
Dura,)  Belshazzar,  the  king,  we  are  tol(^,  made  a 
great  feast  to  a  thousand  of  his  lords,  and  drank 


132  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

vv^ine  before  the  thousand;  and,  as  if  it  were  not 
enough  that  he  should  be  a  bacclianaUan,  he 
must  needs  add  sacrilege  to  his  intemperance. 
In  the  midst  of  his  banquetings,  he  orders  the 
golden  vessels,  which  had  been  brought  from 
Jerusalem,  and  placed  in  the  temple  of  Belus, 
in  Babylon — he  orders,  I  say,  these  golden  ves- 
sels to  be  brought  into  the  banqueting  room, 
that  his  princes,  his  wives,  and  his  concubines 
might  drink  wine  therein ;  thus  turning  to  a 
profane  use  those  vessels  which  had  been  con- 
secrated, and  set  apart  for  the  most  sacred  pur- 
poses. But  there  was  a  righteous  God  on  high ! 
There  was  an  avenging  angel  just  at  hand ! 

Whilst  Belshazzar  was  thus  making  an  os- 
tentatious parade  of  his  wealth  and  grandeur  ; 
whilst  he  was  drinking  wine  to  gods  of  gold, 
and  of  silver,  of  brass,  of  iron,  of  wood,  and  of 
stone — in  the  midst  of  his  revellings,  banquet- 
ings, and  abominable  idolatries — in  the  very 
same  hour  of  the  night,  came  forth  fingers  of  a 
man's  hand,  and  wrote  over  against  the  candle-  • 
stick,  upon  the  plaster  of  the  wall  of  the  king's 
palace.  The  king  saw  it,  and  his  countenance 
was  changed,  and  his  thoughts  troubled  him. 
The  king  saw  it;  and  the  joints  of  his  loins 
were  loosed,  and  his  knees  smote  one  against 
another.  The  king  saw  it;  and  he  cried  out 
in  alarm,  and  commanded  to  bring  in  the  astro- 
logers, the  Chaldeans,  and  the  sooth-sayers. — 
They  came;   they  saw  the  writing,  but  they 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  133 

could  neither  read  it  nor  give  the  interpretation 
thereof.  At  length,  by  the  advice  of  the  queen 
mother^  Daniel  is  called  in.  He  read  the  writ- 
ing;  he  gave  the  interpretation  thereof.  The 
words  are  few,  but,  indeed,  they  are  full  of  ter- 
ror ! — "  Mene,  mene,  tekel,  upharsin."  One 
of  which  we  have  selected  for  our  considera- 
tion, "  Tekel ;"  the  meaning  of  which  is — 
"T1k)u  art  weighed  in  the  balances,  and  art 
found  wanting.  "How  dreadful  the  interpreta- 
tion !  Weighed  in  the  balances  and  found 
wanting  !  Alas !  the  trial  is  over;  the  decisiou 
is  made ;  the  sentence  is  gone  forth ;  and  all 
this  announced  in  a  manner  so  awful — so  mys- 
terious! Methinks  it  fell  upon  Belshazzar's 
ear,  as  the  sudden  pealing  thunder  of  a  mid- 
night storm!  Hushed  is  the  voice  of  mirth. 
Silent  the  song  of  revelry.  The  king  and  his 
courtiers,  stupified  with  amazement,  await  in 
awful  suspense,  the  unseen  but  hovering  judg- 
ment. For  a  moment  the  palace,  which  had 
been  ringing  with  all  manner  of  music,  and 
the  songs  of  mirth  and  revelry,  is  wrapt  in  the 
solitude  and  silence  of  the  grave.  Suddenly 
the  silence  is  broken.  The  voice  of  alarm 
rings  along  the  streets !  It  is  the  clashing  of 
arms ;  the  shrieks  of  the  wounded — the  groans 
of  the  dying,  commingled  with  the  thundering 
shouts  of  a  victorious  foe.  The  Lord  God 
Almighty  has  opened  to  Cyrus  the  gates  of 
brass,  and  has  broken  in  sunder  the  bars  of  iron. 


134  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

Babylon  is  taken !  '  Soldiers  crowd  into  the 
palace — Belshazzar  is  slain.  O  !  disastrous 
night;  where  is  Belshazzar's  pomp  and  glory 
now  ?  He  \\!^as  flushed  with  wine ;  but  he  is 
now  icy  cold  in  death !  His  royal  robes,  of 
gold  and  purple,  are  torn  and  rolled  in  his  own 
blood.  The  impious  monarch,  in  the  midst  of 
his  bacchanalian  debanch  is  hurried  to  the  bar 
of  a  thrice  holy  God.  You  tremble,  perchance, 
at  the  doom  which  awaits  him.  O  sinner !  sin- 
ner !  think  of  Belshazzar,  and  be  wdse.  Are 
you  shocked  that  I  should  insinuate  a  compari- 
son between  you  and  this  wicked  king  ?  Re- 
member you  live  in  a  gospel  land ;  Belshazzar 
lived  not  in  a  gospel  land.  You  have  a  Bible ; 
Belshazzar  had  no  blessed  Bible.  You  have 
heard  of  the  dear  dying  Saviour;  Belshazzar 
never  heard  of  this  great  Legate  from  the  skies. 
And  remember,  you  must  be  weighed  in  the 
balances  too,  and  what  though  you  be  not  found 
as  much  wanting  as  Belshazzar,  if  found  want- 
ing at  all,  in  the  great  day  of  judgment,  you 
will  be  for  ever  undone.  "  My  purpose  is,  not  to 
sketch  the  character  of  this  impious  and  idola- 
trous king — but  to  bring  forward  two  classes  of 
characters,  and  weigh  them  in  the  balances  of 
the  sanctuary.  The  first  class  of  characters 
will  embrace  those  who  are  heterodox  in  senti- 
ment— those  who  embrace  some-  fundamental 
error.  The  second  class  will  consist  of  those 
who  may  be  very  orthodox  or  correct  in  senti- 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  135 

merit,  but  are  not  so  in  practice.  All  these  we 
purpose  now  to  weigh  in  the  balances  of  the 
sanctuary— and,  let  it  be  remembered,  it  does 
not  need  the  forms  and  solemnities  of  the  judg- 
ment day  to  ascertain  any  given  character. 
Here,  in  the  Scriptures  before  me,  we  have  the 
balances  of  the  sanctuary;  and,  if  weighed  in 
these,  and  fcmnd  wanting,  you  may  be  as  sure 
it  is  according  to  the  decision  of  Heaven,  as  if 
it  w^ere  actually  announced,  in  a  voice  of  thun- 
der from  the  throne  of  the  Great  Eternal!  To 
the  law  and  to  the  testimony,  if  it  speak  not 
according  to  this,  it  is  because  there  is  no  light 
in  them. 

Class  I.  Those  who  are  heterodox  in  senti- 
ment, or  those  who  ftubrace, fundamental  error. 

1.  The  Atheist. — When  we  look  abroad  upon 
the  heavens,  and  mark  the  garniture  of  the  sky 
— when  w^e  contemplate  our  own  bodies,  so 
fearfully  and  wonderfully  made ;  or  when  we 
look  around,  and  observe  the  proofs  of  design 
on  every  hand,  it  really  seems  astonishing  that 
any  man  in  his  senses  should  deny  the  exist- 
ence of  a  God.  But,  as  Spinoza,  and  Vaninni, 
and  several  members  of  the  French  Convention 
advocated  atheistical  sentiments,  w^e  are  dis- 
posed to  believe  that  some  persons,  in  the 
plenitude  of .  their  pride,  may,  peradventure, 
persuade  themselvfes  that  there  is  no  God. 
Now,  on  the  supposition  that  there  is  such  a 
character,  let  the  atheist  be  weighed  in   the 


136  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

balances  of  the  sanctuary.  What  says  the 
Psalmist?  "The  fool  hath  said  in  his  heart, 
There  is  no  God."  Ps.  xiv.  1.  And  this  is 
condemnatory;-  but  what  is  the  language  of 
Paul,  in  his  epistle  to  the  Romans? — "The 
invisible  things  of  him,  from  the  creation  of 
the  world,  are  clearly  seen,  being  understood 
by  the  things  that  are  made,  even  his  eternal 
power., and  Godhead,  so  that  they  are  without 
excuse."  Now,  if  atheists  in  pagan  lands  are 
without  excuse,  certainly  those  who  live  amid 
the  splendours  of  gospel  day  are  also  without 
excuse.  The  atheist,  then,  being  weighed  in 
the  balances,  is  found  wanting.     But, 

2.  Let  the  Deist  next  be  placed  in.  the 
balances.  There  have  bdfen  deists,  no  doubt, 
in  every  age ;  but  this  name  was  assumed  by 
certain  persons  in  France  and  Italy,  who,  al- 
though inclined  to  atheistical  sentiments,  chose 
rather  to  be  called  deists.  Deists  differ  in  many 
things,  but  agree  in  one  particular,  viz:  in 
rejecting  the  sacred  Volume  as  a  divine  inspi- 
ration. Now,  to  the  law  and  to  the  testimony. 
In  Rev.  xxii.  19,  it  is  thus  written — "If  any 
man  shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the 
book  of  this  prophecy,  God  shall  take  away 
his  part  out  of  the  book  of  life,  and  out  of  the 
holy  city."  But  the  deist,  or  infidel,  takes  away 
not  only  a  part — he  takes  away  the  whole  of 
God's  blessed  word.  If  this  should  meet  the 
eye  of  an  infidel,  or  deist,  he  will,  no  doubt,  be 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  137 

disposed  to  smile  at  my  simplicity — that  I 
should  presume  to  weigh  him  in  the  balances 
of  the  sanctuary.  He  rejects  these  balances, 
which  are  suspended  as  it  were  from  the  throne 
of  Almighty  God,  and  he  would  be  weighed 
in  balances  of  his  own— ^balance^  framed  by 
his  own  deceitful  heart,  and  poised  aloft  by 
Apollyon,  the  angel  of  the  burning  pit.  De-r 
luded  mortal!  How  dost  thou  know  that  thy 
balances  are  correct?  What  angel  whispered  it 
in  thine  ear?  To  what  high  authority  wilt 
thou  appeal  ?  Deluded  mortal !  I  ask  again, 
How  dost  thou  know  that  thy  balances  are  cor- 
rect? Who  stamped  them?  Now,  these  balances 
of  the  sanctuary  are  divinely  stamped.  They 
bear  the  stamp  of  prophecy ;  the  stamp  of 
miracles ;  the  stamp  of  holiness ; — they  bear 
many  a  clear  stamp  divine.  If  the  balances  of 
the  infidel  be  correct,  how  comes  it  to  pass  that 
the  champion  of  infidelity*  recanted  when  he 
was  sick,  and  cried  aloud  in  terror  when  he 
died  ?  How  comes  it  to  pass  that  one  in  the 
hour  of  death  said — '*  I  am  taking  a  leap  into 
the.  dark  ;t  and  another  cried  out — "  O,  the 
insufferable  pangs  of  hell  and  damnation."! 
Ah !  my  readers,  you  have  heard,  it  may  be,  of 
many  an  infidel  recanting  on  a  bed  of  death ; 
did  you  ever  hear  of  a  Christian  then  recant- 
ing ?   You  have  heard,  no  doubt,  of  many  an 

*  Voltaire.         f  Hobbes.         ij:  Francis  Newport. 
10 


138  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

infidel,  when  he  was  about  to  die,  sending  for 
some  Christian  to  comfort  him.  Did  you  ever 
hear  of  a  single  Christian,  in  such  circum- 
stances, sending  for  some  infidel  to  comfort 
him?  No,  never!  Infidels,  and  those  asso- 
ciated with  them,  are  frequently  seen  going  on, 
right  merrily,  in  the  broad  road,  pointing  the 
finger  of  scorn  at  pilgrims  in  the  narrow  way ; 
but  whence  is  it,  that  when  the  river  of  death 
heaves  into  sight,  they  are  usually  so  desirous 
of  taking  a  short  cut,  to  pass  over  at  the  Chris- 
tian's fording  place  ?  Why  do  they,  generally, 
not  like  their  own  fording  place?  Ah!  too 
many  fearful  things  are  there!  Frequently 
despair  is  there !  Remorse  is  there !  and  heavy 
clouds  of  wrath !  But,  to  the  law  and  to  the 
testimony — ^hear  the  language  of  the  Saviour, 
and  observe,  it  was  uttered  in  his  last  inter- 
view with  his  disciples,  just  as  he  was  about  to 
ascend  up  into  heaven — "Go  ye  into  all  the 
world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature. 
He  that  belie veth,  and  is  baptized,  shall  be 
saved;  but  he  that  belie  veth  not,  shall  be 
damned."  Mark  xvi.  15,  16.  The  .case  is  set- 
tled. The  deist  or  infidel,  dying  in  that  state, 
dies  without  hope ! 

3.  Let  the  Legalist  be  weighed  next;  and  by 
the  legalist,  I  mean  the  self-righteous  man,  he 
who,  valuing  himself  on  account  of  the  supposed 
excellence  of  his  own  moral  character,  feels  no 
need  of  a  Saviour,  and  consequently,  neglects 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  139 

the  great  salvation.  Doubtless  there  are  some 
of  this  class  in  this  assembly.  Let  the  legalist 
then  be  placed  in  the  balances.  Now,  "  to  the 
law  and  to  the  testimony :"  What  has  the  le- 
galist to  weigh  against  the  requirements,  of  the 
law?  Nothing,  except  it  be  a  righteousness 
absolutely  perfect ;  for  it  is  written,  "  Cursed  is 
every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things 
written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them." 
And  where  is  the  man  who  has,  strictly  speak- ' 
ing,  continued  in  all  things  written  in  the  book 
of  the  law  to  do  them  ?  In  other  words :  where 
is  the  individual  who  has  .never  sinned?  There 
is  none  upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  for  the  Bible 
says  expressly,  *'  There  is  not  a  just  man  upon 
earth,  that  doeth  good,  and  sinneth  not."  And 
the  apostle  John  says,  "If  we  say  we  have  no 
sin,  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not 
in  us."  And  again,  in  language  yet  more  em- 
phatic, "If  we  say  that  we  have  not  sinned, 
we  make  him  a  liar,  and  his  word  is  not  in  us." 
The  legalist,  then,  has  no  perfect  righteous- 
ness of  his  own,  and  therefore  has  nothing  to 
weigh  against  the  requirements  of  the  law; 
and  what  has  he  to  weigh  against  the  require- 
ments of  the  gospel?  Nothing,  except  it  be 
the  imputed  righteousness  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
Christ ;  but  this,  you  will  observe,  on  his  own 
principles,  he  has  nothing  to  do  with.  Then 
see  how  the  case  stands.  The  legalist,  or  self- 
righteous  man,  has  nothing  to  weigh  against 


140  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

the  requirements  of  the  law ;  nor  has  he  any- 
thing- to  weigh  against  the  requirements  of  the 
gospel.  Alas !  alas !  self-righteous  man !  Thou 
art  in  an  evil  case;  "  thou  art  weighed  in  the 
balances,  and  art  found  wanting." 

4.  Let  the  Universalist  be  next  weighed  in 
the  balances  of  the  sanctuary.  The  Univer- 
salist of  the  modern  stamp  believes  that  all, 
no  matter  how  wicked  they  may  have  been, 
will  go  to  heaven  when  they  die.  If  so,  why 
did  the  Saviour  say,  "  Except  ye  repent  ye 
shall  all  likewise  perish."  "  He  that  belie veth 
not  shall  be  damned ;"  and,  "  Except  a  man  be 
born  ao^ain  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of 
God."  On  the  principles  of  the  Universalist, 
these  solemn  declarations  of  the  Saviour  have 
no  meaning  at  all;  or,  if  they  have,  they  mean 
the  very  opposite  of  what  they  express,  even 
this — whether  ye  repent  or  not  ye  shall  not 
perish.  He  that  believeth  not,  shall  not  be 
damned;  and,  whether  a  man  be  born  again 
or  not,  he  shall  certainly  see  the  kingdom  of 
God;  aye,  shall  certainly  reach  heaven — all 
Bible  declarations  to  the  contrary  notwith- 
standing. O!  what  awful  trifling  with  the 
Scriptures  have  we  here !  But  the  Universal- 
ist may  say,  the  change  required  takes  place 
in  death.  Where  is  this  doctrine  taught  in  all 
the  Bible?  Point  me  out  the, chapter  and  the 
verse,  if  you  can !  Whilst  nothing  of  that  kind 
can  be  found  in  all  the  sacred  volume,  we  find 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  141 

it  thus  written,  "  Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth 
to  do,  do  it  with  thy  might,  for  there  is  no 
work,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom 
in  the  grave  whither  thou  goest."  Eccl.  ix.  10. 
Again,  "  The  night  cometh  when  no  man  can 
work."  Again,  "  He  that  is  unjust  let  him  be 
unjust  still,  and  he  which  is  filthy. let  him  be 
filthy  still,  and  he  that  is  righteous  let  him 
be  righteous  still,  and  he  that  is  holy  let  him 
be  holy  still."  Rev.  xxii.  11.  ,  And  again, 
"  The  rich  man  also  died  and  was  buried,  and 
in  hell  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being  in  tor- 
ments." Luke  xvi.  23.  But  if  these  passages 
may,  by  wit  and  ingenuity,  be  set  aside,  there 
is  one  which  certainly  cannot,  and  I  do  think 
it  must  settle  the  matter  with  modern  Univer- 
salists  for  ever.  It  is  th6  language  of  the  Sa- 
viour, "  If  ye  believe  not  that  I  am  he,  ye  shall 
die  in  your  sins."  We  know  that  many  do 
not  receive  Christ  as  the  Messiah.  We  know 
that  many  do  not  believe  in  him  at  all.  Now, 
says  the  Saviour,  "  If  ye  believe  not  that  I  am 
he,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins;"  and  he  that 
xiies  in  sin,  of  course  must  perish.  But  whilst 
there  are  many,  very  many  other  passages  of 
Scripture,  fatal  to  the  doctrine  of  universal 
salvation,  permit  me  to  quote  only  two  more. 
"  The  hour  cometh,"  says  the  Saviour,  "  when 
all  that  are  in  their  graves  shall  hear  the  voice 
of  the  Son  of  God,  and  shall  come  forth;  they 
that  have  done  good,  to  the  resurrection  of  life. 


142  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

and  they  that  have  done  evil,  to  the  resurrec- 
tion of  damnation."  John  v.  29.  The  second 
passage  is  found  in  Gen.  vi.  "  And  God  saw 
that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  in 
the  earth,  and  that  every  imagination  of  the 
thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  continually, 
and  God  said  I  will  destroy  man  from  the  face 
of  the  earth,  but  Noah,  found  grace  in  the  eyes 
of  the  Lord."  Now,  mark,  God  purposes  to 
give  an  awful  display  of  his  wrath  and  indig- 
nation against  the  workers  of  iniquity,  and, 
at  the  same  time,  to  show  his  special  regard 
for  righteous  Noah,  w^ho  had  found  grace  in 
his  sight.  And  what  does  he  do?  Why,  he 
stretches  forth  the  hand  of  his  omnipotence, 
breaks  up  the  fountains  of  the  ■  great  deep, 
opens. the  windows  of  heaven,  sends  a  mighty 
flood  of  waters  upon  the  earth,  and  sweeps 
the  whole  world  of  the  ungodly,  right  up  ifito 
heaven!  Every  man  that  was  upon  the  face 
of  the  earth  is  swept  right  up  into  heaven,  ex- 
cept righteous  Noah!  and  he,  poor  man,  who 
had  found  grace  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  is 
left  to  toil  and  struggle,  and  suffer  affliction 
here  on  earth;  whilst  the  abominable  ones, 
who  were  so  wicked  that  God  could  not  endure 
them  on  earth,  are  taken  immediately  to  his 
bosom  in  heaven!  moreover,  if  the  Universal- 
ist  is  right,  the  sexton  who  puts  the  body 
down  into  the  grave,  called  hell,  is  more  to  be 
feared  than  any  other  being  in  the  universe. 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  143 

See  Luke  xii.  5.  Men  and  brethren,  can  you 
believe  this  ?  Certainly  not !  No  man  in  his 
senses  can  believe  it — then  the  case  is  settled. 
The  Universalist  is  weighed  in  the  balances, 
and  found  wanting ;  and  if  he  should  have  no 
better  foundation  than  he  now  has,  as  sure  as 
there  is  a  God  in  heaven,  he  will  perish,  and 
perish  for  ever!  With  regard  to  the  Univer- 
salists  of  former  times,  otherwise  called  hell- 
redemptionists,  the  doctrine  embraced  is  so 
completely  at  war  with  the,  doctrine  of  grace, 
and  the  whole  tenor  of  the  sacred  volume,  that 
the  theory  of  universal  salvation  on  that  plan 
is  now  exploded;  and  being  given  up  pretty 
much,  even  by  its  own  former  advocates,  we 
need  only  remind  you  of  the  great  gulf,  which, 
according  to  the  Saviour,  is  fixed  between 
heaven  and  hell,  which  is  never  to  be  passed  ; 
and  also  remind  you  of  the  language  of  the 
Saviour  in  the  twenty-fifth  chapter  of  Mat- 
thew, and  which  describes  the  winding  up 
scene  of  the  great  judgment-day  :  "  And  these 
shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment, 
but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal."  Having 
weighed  in  the  balances  of  the  sanctuary  those 
who  embrace  fundamental  error,  we  proceed  to 
bring  forward 

Class  11.  This  embraces  those  who  may  be 
very  correct  in  sentiment,  but  are  not  so  in 
practice.    And, 

1.  Let  the  unrighteous  be  weio^hed  in  the 


144  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

balances  of  the  sanctuary ;  and  by  the  unrigh- 
teous man,  I  mean  the  fraudulent  man,  the  dis- 
honest man,  the  intemperate  man,  the  gambler, 
the  swindler,  the  man  of  cruelty  and  extortion — 
in  short,  all  who  openly  and  daringly  trample 
upon  the  golden  precept — "  Whatsoever  ye 
would  tliat  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even 
so  to  them."  0,  what  a  long,  long  list  of 
crimes  has  the  unrighteous  man  to  answer  for ! 
crimes  various  and  multiform — against  God — 
against  man — against  his  own.  He  has  not 
only  neglected  the  lesser  duties  of  social  life, 
but  the  greater  matters  of  the  law.  Against 
such,  the  blessed  Saviour  denounces  an  av/ful 
woe ;  but  the  apostle  Paul,  in  few  words,  settles 
the  matter  for  ever : — ''  Know  ye  not,"  says  he, 
"  that  the  unrighteous  shall  not  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God  ?  Be  not  deceived ;  neither 
fornicators,  nor  idolaters,  nor  adulterers,  nor 
effeminate,  norabusers  of  themselves  with  man- 
kind, nor  thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards, 
nor  revilers,  nor  extortioners,  shall  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God."  0,  unrighteous  man  !  open- 
ly wicked  man !  "  Thou  art  weighed  in  the 
balances,  and  art  found  wanting," 

2.  Let  the  worldling  next  be  placed  in  the 
balances.  Some  are  worldlino^s  who  would  not 
and  should  not  be  esteemed  unrighteous  men, 
in  the  common  acceptation  of  that  term.  By 
the  worldling,  I  simply  mean  the  person  who 
loves  the  world,  who  loves  it  supremely;  who 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  145 

is  ready  to  say,  "  Give  me  riches,  honours, 
pleasures ;  give  me,  moreover,  health,  friends, 
and  long  life,  and  this  world  will  do  for  me,  I 
desire  no  better," 

And  now  let  us  view  the  worldling  in  his 
threefold  character — As  a  man  of  fashion,  a 
man  of  pleasure,  and  a  man  of  business.  Is  he 
a  man  of  fashion  ?  He  loves  the  praise  of  men 
more  than  the  praise  of  God,  the  very  character 
condemned  in  the  sacred  volume.  John  xii.  43. 
Is  he  a  man  of  pleasure  ?  Then,  according  to 
the  Prophet,  he  has  committed  two  evils :  "  He 
has  forsaken  his  Maker,  the  Fountain,  of  living 
waters,  and  has  hewn  out  unto  himself  broken 
cisterns  which  can  hold  no  water."  But  is  he 
a  man  of  business  ?  Mark  this  worldling !  The 
morning  dawns ;  he  rises  refreshed  and  invigo- 
rated by  the  slumbers  of  the  night;  but  he 
offers  no  thanksgivings  to  God,  for  the  repose 
and  protection  of  the  night.  He  leaves  his 
chamber  without  prayer.  And  now  he  goes 
forth  to  the  pursuits  of  the  day.  Still,  mark 
that  worldling  !  His  head,  his  heart,  his  soul, 
all  are  fastened  upon  the  things  of  this  world. 
He  has  no  interval  of  serious  thought;  never 
once  does  he  say,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a 
sinner !"  And  now,  the  shades  of  evening  pre- 
vail; he  returns  to  his  dwelling,  and  is  there 
greeted  by  an  affectionate  wife,  and  sweet, 
rosy,  lovely  children — yes,  the  worldling,  it 
may  be,  is  in  the  midst  of  domestic  comforts. 


146  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

one  would  think,  enough  to  melt  a  heart  of 
rock — enough  to  warm  his  whole  soul  into 
gratitude  and  love — but  he  thinks  not  of  his 
heavenly  Benefactor ;  never  once  says,  ''Bless 
the  Lord,  0  my  soul,  and  forget  not  all  his 
benefits."  Alas!  he  suffers  "the  mercies  of 
heaven  to  lie  forgotten  in  unthankfulness,  and 
without  praises  die!''  He  is  the  head  of  a 
family.  He  has  servants,  and  he  has  children, 
and  it  is  his  duty  to  set  before  them  a  good  and 
pious  example — his  bounden  duty,  "  to  allure 
to  brighter  worlds,  and  lead  the  way;"  but  he 
neglects  his  duty.  Alas,  the  morning  and  the 
evening  sun  shines  upon  a  prayerless  house- 
hold. He  lives  as  if  there  was  no  God  in  the 
heavens  to  inspect  his  conduct ;  as  if  there  was 
no  judgment  bar  at  which  he  must  one  day 
appear.  The  fact  is,  although  he  may  not 
think  so,  he  is  a  practical  atheist.  He  loves 
the  world,  loves  it  supremely ;  the  world  is  his 
portion,  his  home,  his  all.  Now,  what  says  the 
Bible?  *'  Love  not  the  world,  neither  the  things 
of  the  world;  for  if  any  man  love  the  world, 
the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him."  O  world- 
ling, worldling,  listen  to  me !  Thou  art  weighed 
in  the  balances,  and  art  found  wanting- !  And 
now,  "What  is  a  man  profited,  if  he  shall  gain 
the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own  soul?"  O 
think  upon  this.  If  any  man  ever  gained  the 
world,  that  man  was  Alexander  the  Great.  And 
now,  suppose,  after  all,  that  he  died  in  sin,  and 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  147 

is  now  in  the  world  of  woe — what  does  it  all, 
this  moment,  avail  him?  Come  along,  ye  world- 
lings, come  along  with  me,  and  let  us,  so  to 
speak,  go  to  the  borders  of  the  pit,  and  call  up 
the  shade  of  Alexander  the  Great  from  the 
vasty  deep  of  hell. — Where  is  Alexander  the 
Great?  Let  him  now  appear!  Methinks  there 
I  see  him — but  how  changed !  Is  this  Alexan- 
der the  Great  ?  I  see  no  glittering  crown  upon 
his  head !  no  royal  robes  invest  his  form ! — his 
hand,  too,, it  grasps  no  sceptre!  and  his  mighty 
generals,  where  are  they?  I  see  them  not!  Is 
this  Alexander,  the  Great  ?  O  that  sepulchral 
groan!  that  unearthly  sound,  that  comes  rat- 
tling upon  my  ear : — "  Call  me  not  Alexander  the 
great,  call  me  Ale:xander  the  lost  /"  Unhappy 
shade !  and  art  thou  indeed  lost,  and  lost  for- 
ever ?  "0,  Alexander  the  Great,  what  wouldst 
thou  now  give  in  exchange  for  thy  soul?" 
Another  sepulchral  groan !  another  unearthly 
sound! — "Give!  I  would  give  all  the  king- 
doms I  ever  conquered ! — I  would  give  all  the 
sceptres  I  ever  grasped !  all  the  laurels  I  ever 
won !— I  would  give  the  world  ! — ten  thousand 
worlds,  to  come  out  of  this  pit  of  despair!" 
But,  hark!  that  rush  of  agony!  that  shriek  of 
despair!  The  lost  spirit,  in  hell,  is  sinking 
down,  deeper,  and  deeper  still !  O  worldling, 
worldling,  think!  Remember,  you  are  now 
weighed  in  the  balances,  and  found  wanting ; 
and,  I  repeat  the  solemn  interrogatory  of  the 


148  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

Saviour,  "  What  is  a  man  profited,  if  he  shall 
gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  ow^n  soul?" 
O  think  upon  this,  before  it  be  too  late ! 

3.  Let  the  profane  .swearer  next  be  placed  in 
the  balances.  Because  of  swearing,  says  the 
prophet,  the  land  mourneth.  There  were  pro- 
fane swearers  in  his  day ;  and  alas !  there  are 
but  too  many  in  our  times;  and  weighed  in  the 
balances  of  the  sanctuary,  nothing  can  be 
plainer  than  that  they  are  found  wanting — for 
the  Psalmist  says,  "  Thine  enemies,  0  God, 
take  thy  name  in  vain."  And,  what  is  the  lan- 
guage of  the  eternal  God  himself?  "  Thou 
shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God 
in  vain,  for  the  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guilt- 
less that  taketh  his  name  in  vain."  This  sin 
indicates  peculiar  hardihood;  as  it  is  so  ex- 
pressly forbidden;  and,  what  makes  the  matter 
worse,  it  is  a  kind  of  a  gratuitous  sin,  being 
committed  without  any  adequate  temptation. 
And  this  reminds  me  of  the  remark  of  an  old 
writer,  quaint,  it  is  true,  but  very  forcible. 
''The  devil,"  says  he,  "sometimes  turns  fish- 
erman, and  when  he  fishes  for  ordinary  sinners 
Ke  is  willing  to  go  to  some  expense ;  he  baits 
his  hook  with  the  riches  of  the  world ;  the 
honours  of  the  world  ;  and  the  pleasures  of  the 
world  ;  but,  when  he  fishes  for  profane  swear- 
ers, he  throws  them  the  naked  hook !  and  they 
bite  at  the  naked  hook !— cheap  even  in  the  de- 
vil's account."     Of  a  truth,  profane  swearing 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  149 

is  a  dreadful  sin,  and  seems,  perhaps  more  than 
any  other,  to  be  the  bubbUng  up  of  sheer  de- 
pravity. Thank  God,  some  are,  in  mercy, 
made  to  see  it,  and  repent'  before  it  is  too  late. 
I  recollect  a  case.  It  interested  me  much  at 
the  time,  and  I  think  I  shall  never  forget  it. 
During  a  protracted  meeting  in  a  certain  town 
in  Kentucky,  a  gentleman  of  some  considera- 
ble note  called  upoii  me,  at  my  lodgings.  He 
wished  to  connect  himself  with  the  church,  on 
tbe  following  Sabbath.  He  had  been  remark- 
ably profane,  but  the  Lord  had  been  merciful 
to  him,  and  he  was. now,  as  he  hoped,  a  con- 
verted man.  The  case  was  this  :  He  once  had 
a  lovely  boy,  an  only  son ;  this  beloved  child 
gave'  evidence  of  early  piety.  When  perhaps 
not  more  than  nine  years  of  age,  he  was  laid 
■upon  a  sick  and  dying  bed.  He  talked  sweetly 
about  Jesus,  and  much  about  heaven.  On  one 
occasion,  when  near  his  end,  he  called  his 
father  to  his  bed  side,  and,  with  great  respect 
and  affection,  said,  "Papa,  I  wish  to  make- one 
request  of  you  before  I  die."  "  What  is  it,  my 
darling?"  said  the  weeping  father,  bending  over 
his  beloved  and  now  dying  child.  "  O  my  dear 
son,  your  father  is  willing  to  do  any  thing  in 
the  world  for  you,  what  do  you  wish  me  to 
do?"  "Papa,"  said  the  dying  child,  "Dear 
papa,  if  you  'please,  don't  swear  any  moreP 
The  father,  as  he  narrated  the  affecting  inci- 
dent, w^ept.     Tears  rolling  down  his   cheeks. 


150  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

"  O  sir,"  said  he  to  me,  "  I  never  had  any  thing 
to  come  with  such  power  to  my  soul  before — 
the  language  of  my  dying  boy,  'Papa,  dear 
papa,  if  you  please,  donH  swear  any  more.''  Sir, 
it  was  blessed  to  my  poor  soul."  I  need  only 
add,  that  the  next  day  I  saw  that  man  seated  at 
the  table  of  the  Lord ;  and  may  we  not  suppose 
that  when  he  comes  to  die,  his  cherub  boy  will 
hover  over  his  dying  bed,  and  be  the  first  to 
welcome  his  happy  spirit  home  to  glory  and 
to  God !  And  now,  if  there  be  a  single  pro- 
fane swearer  present,  let  me  say  to  him,  as 
that  dear  dying  child  did  to  the  father  whom 
he  loved,  "  If  you  ylease,  donH  srvear  any 
7norer 

4.  Let  the  hollow  hearted  professor  of  reli- 
gion next  be  placed  in  the  balances.  Strange 
as  it  may  appear,  Voltaire  took  the  sacrament 
of  the  Lord's  supper !  Yes,  that  mouth  of  his, 
which  uttered  blasphemies  against  the  Son  of 
God — which  taught  treason  against  the  Divine 
and  immaculate  Jesus — that  mouth  received 
the  memorials  of  a  Saviour's  dying  love.  Can 
such  a  solemn  farce  as  this  please  a  holy  God  ? 
"  Nay,  verily,  be  not  deceived,  God  is  not 
mocked,  whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall 
he  also  reap."  No  matter  what  may  be  the 
profession  or  outward  show,  if  the  heart  be  not 
sincere  and  right  in  the  sight  of  God,  it  is  all 
as  a  sounding  brass  and  a  tinkling  cymbal. 
Even  if  there  be  no  wilful  hypocrisy,  or  out- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  151 

rageous  blasphemy,  as  in  the  case  of  Voltaire, 
a  mere  profession  of  rehgion  can  avail  no- 
thing, for  "a  solemn  sound  upon  a  thoughtless 
tongue,"  is  a  poor  thing,  and 

"  God  abhors  the  sacrifice 
Where  not  the  heart  is  found." 

Ah !  my  brethren,  believe  me,  sacramental 
wine  can  never  wash  away  the  sins  of  the  soul ! 
nor  can  baptismal  water  cool  the  tongue  of  the 
falsehearted  professor  of  religion  in  hell,  tor- 
mented in  penal  flames  !  Professor  of  religion ! 
remember  the  parable  of  the  ten  virgins.  It  is 
quite  possible  to  have  the  lamp  of  profession 
without  the  oil  of  grace :  the  form  without  the 
power  of  godliness.  And  0 !  remember,  pe- 
culiarly deep  and  dreadful  must  be  the  damna- 
tion of  those  who  fall  from  the  heights  of  Zion 
into  the  flames  of  hell.  Methinks,  through  all 
eternity  the  thoughts  of  the  sacramental  board 
will  haunt  them;  and,  most  terrible  will  it  be 
to  see  those  who  once  sat  down  with  them  at 
the  table  of  the  Lord,  now  in  heaven,  whilst 
they  themselves  are  cast  out !  0,  then,  let  all 
who  are  in  communion  with  the  church,  now 
examine  themselves,  whether  they  be  in  the 
faith — remembering  the  words  of  the  apostle — 
"  Neither  circumcision  availeth  any  thing,  nor 
uncircumcision,  but  anew  creature."  Let  all 
who  are  professors  of  religion  dig  deep,  and  lay 
a  good  foundation,  for,  according  to  the  Scrip- 


152  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

tures,  the  mere  profession  of  religion,  without 
the  root  of  the  matter,  will  not  save  the  soul. 
The  hollow-hearted  professor  of  religion,  then, 
having  the  name  without  the  thing  named — the 
form  without  the  power  of  godliness,  is  weighed 
and  found  wanting. 

And  now,  as  I  wish  to  benefit  every  soul  pre- 
sent, and  as  some  may  think  the  preacher  has 
not  reached  their  case,  as  they  do  not  acknow- 
ledge themselves  to  belong  exactly  to  any  of  the 
characters  specified,  permit  me  to  put  in  the 
balances  of  the  sanctuary  one  character  more, 
and  sure  I  am,  it  will  embrace  all  who  are  not 
on  their  way  to  heaven. 

5.  The  unrenewed,  no  matter  who  they  are, 
or  what  they  are,  in  other  respects,  they  too  are 
certainly  wanting;  for,  .mark!  if  unrenewed, 
they  have  never  repented  of  their  sins;  and 
what  says  the  Scriptures? — "  Except  ye  repent, 
ye  shall  all  likewise  perish."  If  unrenewed, 
they  have  not  believed  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
And  what  says  the  Bible? — "He  that  believeth 
not,  shall  be  damned."  And  again — "If  unre- 
newed, they  have  not  been  born  again."  And 
what  says  the  glorious  Son  of  God? — "  Except 
a  man  be  born  ag^ain,  he  cannot  see  the  king"- 
dom  of  God."  No  matter,  then,  my  dear 
friends,  who  or  what  you  may  be,  I  tell  you  the 
truth  in  Christ  Jesus,  I  lie  not — if  you  have  not 
been  renewed  in  the  temper  and  disposition  of 
your  souls;   in  other  words,  if  you  have  not 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  153 

experienced  a  change  of  heart,  and  become  a 
new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus,  you  are  still  in 
the  gall  of  bitterness  and  bond  of  iniquity,  and 
dying  in  that  state,  will  certainly  be  lost.  I 
have  noticed  that  in  every  community  there 
are  persons  who  seem  to  be  near  the  kingdom, 
but  are  not  in  it.  They  are  amiable ;  they  are 
interesting ;  they  have  some  fine  traits  of  cha- 
rapter ;  but  they  are  not  converted.  They  re- 
mind us  of  what  is  said  of  Naaman.  "  Now 
Naaman,  captain  of  the  host,  of  the  king  of 
Syria,  was  a  great  man  with  his  master,  and 
honourable ;  moreover,  he  was  a  mighty  man 
in  valour,  but  he  was  a  leper."  So,  these 
persons  have  many  things  to  recommend 
them  to  the  respect  and  affection  of  those 
around,  but,  alas !  they  are  strangers  to  God's 
convertinor  o-race.  Mark  that  venerable  man ! 
his  locks  are  silvery  with  age;  benignity 
is  seated  upon  his  brow ;  humanity  lights  up 
his  faded  countenance : — he  has  a  purse  for  the 
needy,  a  shelter  for  the  houseless,  and  a  heart 
to  sympathize  with  the  sons  and  daughters  of 
affliction.  Perhaps,  too,  the  patriot's  flame 
still  burns  in  his  aged  bosom ;  but  is  this  all  ? 
Alas !  his  knees  have  never  been  bent  in  hum- 
ble prostration  at  the  mercy  seat !  His  hands 
have  never  been  lifted  up,  in  humble  supplica- 
tion, at  the  throne  of  heavenly  grace  !  Whilst 
the  snows  of  fifty,  sixty,  seventy  winters  have 
been  bleaching  his  locks,  his  heart  has  been 

11 


154  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

cold,  fast  bound  up  in  the  ice  of  morality. 
What  a  pity  that  such  a  venerable  man  should, 
in  the  day  of  judgment,  be  found  w^anting. 
There  goes  an  interesting  young  man!  He 
has  the  flush  of  youth,  joined  with  the  discre- 
tion of  riper  years.  He  is  admired  and  caressed, 
and  deservedly,  too,  for  he  has  an  affectionate 
heart !  a  noble  and  a  generous  spirit !  He  is  no 
debauchee;  he  is  regular  in  all  his  hours,  tem- 
perate in  all  his  indulgences;  no  profane  ex- 
pressions pollute  his  lips  ;^  the  vi^orld  can  see  no 
stain  in  his  moral  character.  He  is  the  cham- 
pion of  morality,  and  «ven  the  advocate  of  re- 
ligion. But  is  this  all?  Alas!  he  has  entered 
the  vestibule,  but  he  has  not  entered  the  temple 
of  religion.  He  has  found  many  pearls,  pre- 
cious pearls,  too,  but  not  the  "  one  pearl  of  great 
price."  He  has  many-  things  to  recommend 
him,  like  the  young  man  in  the  gospel,  but,  like 
the  same  young  man,  he  lacks  the  one  thing 
needful;  and  lacking  this,  he  lacks  the  key  to 
heaven.  And  see,  too,  that  interesting  young 
female!  her  temper  is  sweet,  her  manners  are 
pleasing,  her  person  is  lovely;  fair  as  the  first 
rose  that  bloomed  in  Paradise,  and  her  admirers 
say  she  has 

"Grace  in  her  steps  ;  heaven  in  her  eye; 
In  all  her  gestures,  dignity  and  love." 

She  is  her  mother's  rose,  her  father's  pride,  and 
the  life  of  the  circle  in  which  she  moves ;  but 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  155 

is  this  all  ?  Alas,  she  is  no  Mary  ! — has  not 
chosen  that  good  part  which  should  not  be 
taken  from  her — her  heart  is  upon  the  world — 
she  is  a  "  lover  of  pleasures  more  than  a  lover 
of  God."  Like  the  interesting  young  man  just 
mentioned,  she  has  entered  the  vestibule,  but 
not  the  temple  of  religion;  has  found  many 
pearls,  but  not  the  "  one  pearl  of  great  price" — 
has  many  things  to  recommend  her ;  but,  like 
that  amiable  young  man,  (who,  perchance,  may 
be  her  brother,)  she,  too,  lacks  the  one  thing 
needful;  and,  lacking  this,  she  lacks  the  key 
to  heaven!  0  who  will  not  weep  when  such 
persons,  who  seem  to  be  so  near  the  kingdom, 
refuse  to  come  to  Christ,  and  perish  in  their 
sins ! '  But  some  persons  may  think  it  would 
be  unjust  in  God  to  punish  such  innocent  per- 
sons, and  not  right  to  send  such  "  good-hearted" 
ones  to  the  world  of  wo ;  but,  let  it  be  remem- 
bered, the  Bible  recognizes  no  innocence  on 
earth,  but  that  which  consists  in  the  forcrive- 
ness  of  $ins ;  and  no  good-heartedness  on  earth, 
but  that  which  consists  in  the  washin"-  of 
regeneration,  and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  fact  is,  according  to  the  Scrip- 
tures, all  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the 
glory  of  God;  and,  by  the  deeds  of  the  law 
shall  no  flesh  be  justified  in  his  sight;  and 
hence  it  is  written  :  "  Other  foundation  can  no 
man  lay  than  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ." 
And  it  is  true  of  all.  "  Except  a  man  be  born 


156  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

aofain,  he  cannot  see  the  kin2:dom  of  God."  All 
then,  who  are  unrenewed,  are  in  a  state  of 
wrath  and  condemnation !  Weighed  in  the 
balances,  they  are  found  wanting. 

And  now,  my  dear  brethren,  in  closing,  per- 
mit me  to  remark:  I  have  brought  forward 
several  classes  of  characters,  and  weighed  them 
in  the  balances  of  the  sanctuary.  Have  I 
sketched  the  characters  correctly?  Have  I 
weighed  them  with  an  even  hand?  Have  any 
of  you,  my  dear  hearers,  been  weighed  and 
found  wanting ?  0,  this  is  a  serious  matter! 
Should  the  visible  fingers  of  an  invisible  angel 
now  write  tekel  over  against  you,  upon  the 
plaster  of  the  wall,  would  not  strange  alarm 
seize  upon  you  ?  Would  you  not,  like  Belshaz- 
zar,  cry  out  in  terror?  And  now  tell  me,  O  ye 
careless,  Christless  souls!  tell  me,  what  mat- 
ters it,  whether  the  visible  fingers  of  an  in- 
visible angel  write  tekel  on  the  wall  against 
5''ou,  or  the  finger  of  inspiration  wTite  it  here, 
in  this  volume,  as  with  a  sunbeam?  You, 
then,  who  have  been  weighed,  and  foupd  want- 
ing, tell  me,  do  you  not  believe  that  you  must 
die?  and  dying,  do  you  not  believe  that  you 
must  go  to  the  judgment  bar? — and,  going  to 
the  judgment  bar,  do  you  not  believe  that  you 
must  be  judged  out  of  the  things  written  in  the 
sacred  volume  ?  And  does  does  not  this  book 
now  condemn  you  ?  and  if  so,  believe  me,  there 
is  nothing  wanting,  this  moment,  to  fix  your 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  157 

unhappy  doom,  but  for  God  to  fix  your  pre- 
sent character.     And  this  he  may  do  in  one 
moment;   quick  as  hghtning,  and  terrible  as 
the  last  trump !     0,  should  the  sun  now  be 
turned  into  darkness,  and  the  moon  into  blood ; 
should  the  stars  now  fall  from  the  heavens,  and 
the  powers  of  the  heavens  be  shaken;  should 
the  archangel's  trump,  louder  than  ten  thou- 
sand thunders,  and  more  awful  than  the  hoarse 
crash  of  falling  worlds,  now  wake  up  the  slum- 
bering dead  !  O,  should  you  now  see  the  Judge 
descending,  the  throne  erected,  the  books  open- 
ed, the  balances,  in  which  souls  and  their  ac- 
tions are  to  be  weighed,  poised  aloft,  and  your 
souls   about  to  be  weighed — would  you   not 
tremble?     Conscious  that   you  are  wanting, 
would  not  overwhelming  horrors  seize   upon 
your  soul?     O,  then,  what  a  mercy  that  you 
did  not  die  last  night !  or  when  you  were  last 
sick !     O  what  a  mercy  that  you  are  not  now 
in  eternity — your  character  fixed,  your  doom 
sealed  for  ever.     What  a  mercy  that  you  are 
still  in  the  land  of  the  living — still  in  a  state  of 
probation,  and   still  under  hope  of  heavenly 
grace !     And  now,  what  is  to  be  done  ?    Fly  to 
Christ.  Take  refUge  in  his  arms;  for,  sprinkled 
with  his  atoning  blood,  and  found  in  him,  you 
are  safe.    His  blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin;  and, 
arrayed  in  his  righteousness,  your  souls  shall 
find  acceptance  with  God,  and  be  secure  amid 
all  the  thunde rings  and  lightnings,  and  terrors 


158  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

of  the  judgment  day  !  O,  sinner,  fly  to  Christ. 
He  is  your  only  hope;  and  fly,  without  delay. 
Death  may  be  near!  Eternity  may  be  just  at 
the  door!  and,  therefore,  what  thou  doest,  do 
quickly. 

"  Sinner,  perhaps  this  very  day, 
Thy  last  accepted  time  nnay  be ; 
O  shouldst  thou  grieve  him  now  away,     ' 
Then  hope  may  never  beam  on  thee  !" 


SERMON  VI. 

THE     CHARACTER    AND    REWARD    OF    THE    EARTHLY 
MINDED. 

Prov,  iii.  35. — Shame  shall  be  the  promotion  of  fools. 

The  proverbs  of  Solomon  are  full  of  instruc- 
tion; the  language  may  sometimes  appear  harsh 
and  abrupt,  but  the  meaning  is  so  much  the 
more  striking  and  impressive.  This  is  the 
case  with  the  passage  at  present  under  conside- 
ration. "  Shame  shall  be  the  promotion  of 
fools."  Here,  you  will  observe,  the  wise  man 
calls  persons  of  a  certain  description  fools ;  and 
let  it  be  remembered,  he  did  not  mean  those 
void  of  reason,  who  are  fools  in  a  natural  sense; 
but  those,  who,  in  matters  of  religion,  act  as  if 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  159 

they  were  void  of  reason,  and  therefore  may  be 
called  fools  in  ^a  scriptural  sense.  The  main 
difference  between  the  one  and  the  other  seems 
to  be  this :  The  one  acts  in  opposition  to  sound 
reason,  through  lack  of  a  good  understanding; 
the  other  through  lack  of  a  right  disposition. 
It  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  persons  of  a  cer- 
tain description,  proud  of  their  own  supposed 
wisdom,  to  look  rather  contemptuously  upon 
the  people  of  God,  and  to  esteem  them  as  poor, 
weak-minded,  deluded  ones;  and,  sometimes, 
they  even  hesitate  not  to  pronounce  them  fools. 
This  dayj  I  trust,  the  tables  will  be  turned,  and 
this  reproach  will  be  rolled  away.  Our  pur- 
pose at  this  time,  is,  by  simple,  common  sense, 
and  scriptural  argument,  to  establish  this  pro- 
position, that  all  unconverted  persons — that  all 
who,  taken  up  with  the  things  of  this  world,  ne- 
glect the  higher  interests  of  eternity,  that  they 
are  justly  chargeable  with  folly,  supreme  folly. 
And  this,  I  think  will  appear  in  the  two  follow- 
ing particulars :  First,  in  the  choice  which  they 
make;  and  Secondly,  in  the  conduct  which 
they  pursue. 

I.  In  the  choice  which  they  make. — We  very 
frequently,  and  very  correctly,  form  an  idea  of 
a  person's  wisdom,  or  folly,  from  what  he 
chooses  and  most  values.  If,  for  example,  a 
person  should  prefer  an  object  of  real  and  great 
value,  to  one  of  little  or  no  value ;  as  far  as  the 
case  goes  we  form  a  favourable  opinion  of  that 


160  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

person's  w^isdom.  But  suppose  the  case  be  ex- 
actly the  reverse.  Suppose  this  man  should 
prefer  rags  to  robes,  pebbles  to  jewels,  the  sha- 
dow to  the  substance,  and  counterfeit  to  genu- 
ine bank  bills,  would  you  pronounce  him  wise? 
I  think  not.  And  suppose,  when  this  person 
is  remonstrated  with,  in  regard  to  the  folly  of 
his  choice,  he  should  continue,  perseveringly  to 
make  the  same  foolish  choice,  would  you  not 
be  strongly  tempted  to  pronounce  him  a  fool ? 
Now  why  should  not  the  principle  hold,  just  as 
well  in  spiritual  as  in  temporal  things  ?  I  think 
it  does.  And  now  what  do  sinners  choose? 
They  make  many  a  foolish  choice;  I  will  state 
a  few  by  way  of  specimen. 

First — The  sinner  prefers  the  favour  of  man 
to  the  favour  of  God.  That  he  does  so  is  mani- 
fest, because,  whilst  he  is  tremblingly  alive  to 
his  character,  as  it  stands  in  the  eyes  of  his  fel- 
low creatures,  he  usually  cares  very  little  how 
his  character  stands  in  the  eyes  of  his  Maker. 
It  is  well  known  that  the  sinner  will  go  to 
much  greater  lengths  to  please  man  than  to 
please  God.  Nay,  he  will  frequently  do  what 
he  knows  full  well  is  displeasing  to  God,  and 
that  for  the  express  purpose  of  securing  the 
favour  of  a  fellow  creature !  Now,  what  does 
this  prove?  Most  assuredly,  that  he  sets  a 
greater  value  upon  the  favour  of  man  than 
upon  the  favour  of  God.  And  now,  wdiich  is 
worth  the  most  ?    With  regard  to  the  favour  of 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  161 

man,  if  of  the  right  kind,  certainly  it,  is  of 
some  value ;  and  I  am  free  to  say  with  the  poet, 
"Poor  is  the  friendless  master  of  a  world!" 
But  after  all,  it  is  well  known  that  the  favour 
of  man  is  oftentimes  deceitful.  O  how  fre- 
quently do  we  find  that  they  of  whose  favour 
and  friendship  we  thought  ourselves  perfectly 
sure,  strangely  cool  off!  We  cannot  imagine 
what  has  wrought  the  change,  but  with  regard 
to  the  fact,  that  they  are  no  longer  our  friends, 
that  is  but  too  clear;  and,  in  the  moment  of 
excitement,  we  are  ready  to  say,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  Scripture,  "  Cursed  is  the  man  that 
putteth  his  trust  in  man."  But  suppose  this 
friend  is  a  fast  and  faithful  friend,  w^e  may  be 
in  a  thousand  different  circumstances  in  which 
his  ■  friendship  could  avail  us  nothing.  We 
may  be  laid  upon  a  bed  of  sickness  and  lan- 
guishing, and.  he  know  nothing  at  all  about 
the  matter.  He  may  be  far  distant;  mountains 
may  tower,  or  oceans  roll  between  us;  or,  say 
he  is  near  at  hand,  standing  at  our  side,  and 
witnessing  our  distress,  his  tears  may  trickle 
down  his  cheeks,  and  all  the  tenderest  sym- 
pathies of  his  heart  may  be  excited ;  nay,  he 
may  even  be  willing  to  share  our  sorrows  with 
us,  but  in  spite  of  all  his  flowing  tears,  and 
the  tender  sympathies  of  his  affectionate, heart, 
we  suffer,  we  agonize,  we  die,  and  there  is 
only  a  new  display  of  the  impotency  of  human 
friendship.     Such  is  the  favour  of  man,  fre- 


162  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

queiitly  fickle,  and  not  to  be  relied  upon;  and 
even  when  of  the  best  stamp,  oftentimes  of  no 
substantial  value;  and  yet,  the  sinner  prefers 
the  favour  of  man — to  what  ?  Angels  in  hea- 
ven, would  ye  believe  it  ? — the  sinner  prefers 
the  favour  of  man  to  the  favour  of  God!  I 
have  told  you  what  the  favour  of  man  is 
worth ;  and  now,  what  is  the  value  of  the  fa- 
vour of  God  ?  O  ye  children  of  the  heavenly 
king !  ye  precious  sons  and  daughters  of  Zion, 
what  do  you  say  ?  I  am  sure  the  language  of 
the  Psalmist  is  your  language,  "  Thy  favour, 

0  God,  is  life;  thy  loving  kindness  is  better 
than  life."  Yes,  if  I  should  pour  down  at 
your  feet  all  the  silver  and  the  gold  in  the 
world,  and  offer  that  in  exchange  for  the  fa- 
vour of  God,  would  you  take  it?  Would  you 
not  rather  be  ready  to  say,  "  Go  and  offer  a 
monarch  a  bubble  for  his  crown,  and  if  he  ac- 
cepts, yet  will  not  I."  The  favour  of  God  ! 
Go  and  ask  that  young  convert,  who,  for  the 
first  time  in  his  life,  has  tasted  that  the  Lord  is 
good  and  gracious — that  young  convert  whose 
countenance  is  dressed  in  smiles,  and  whose 
heart  is  now  filled  with  a  peace  and  joy  im- 
known  before — ask  that  young  convert  what 
he  thinks  of  the  favour  of  God.  "  O  !"  says  he, 
"  I  never  knew  what  real  happiness  was  until 

1  had  a  sweet  sense  of  God's  forgiving  love. 
Truly  his  favour  is  life,  and  his  loving  kind- 
ness better   than  life."     The  favour  of  God ! 


REVIVAL    SEEMONS.  163 

Go  and  ask  that  dying  Christian,  just  on  the 
wing  for  glory — that  dying  Christian,  just  ut- 
tering those  beautiful  lines  of  Watts, 

"  Jesus  can  make  a  dying  bed 

Feel  soft  as  downy  pillows  are" — 

Go  and  ask  that  dying  Christian  what  he 
thinks  of  the  favour  of  God.  "  The  favour  of 
God!"  he  replies,  "  O  it  is  every  thing  now  to 
me.  It  is  that  which  gives  me  now  more  com- 
fort than  tongue  can  express ;  it  is  that  which 
softens  my  dying  bed,  and  strews  it  all  over 
with  the  roses  of  paradise ! — it  is  that  which 
brightens  the  dark  scenery  of  the  grave,  and 
now  raises  me  quite  above  the  fear  of  death. 
O  .it  is  infinitely  more  valuable  to  me  now 
than  ten  thousand,  thousand  worlds!'*  The 
favour  of  God! — Go  through  yonder  pearly 
gates,  and  ask  those  bright  and  happy  spirits 
who,  robed  and  crowned,  are  now  circling  the 
throne,  rejoicing  in  heaven.  Go  and  ask  them 
what  the  favour  of  God  is  worth  to  them. 
Methinks,  with  one  voice,  they  would  say: 
"It  is  the  favour  of  God  which  makes  us 
happy  here.  It  is  the  favour  of  God  which 
rolls  a  tide  of  rapture  all  over  this  eternal 
world  of  joy.  It  is  the  favour  of  God  which 
makes  heaven — heaven  indeed  to  our  souls!" 
Yes,  my  brethren,  believe  me,  if  the  favour  of 
God  were  withdrawn,  angels  themselves  would 
be  sad ;  the  spirits  of  the  just  would  be  wrapt 


164  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

in  gloom,  and  the  dwellings  of  the  blessed 
would  cease  to  charm.  The  favour  of  God ! 
0-!  it  is  every  thing  which  men  on  earth,  or 
angels  in  heaven  can  desire;  and  yet,  the  sin- 
ner in  his  wisdom  prefers  the  favour  of  man 
to  the  favour  of  God !  That  is,  he  prefers  the 
rags  to  the  robes,  the  pebbles  to.  the  jewels ! 
and  the  shadow  to  the  substance !  Is  the  sin- 
ner a  wise  man?    Judge  ye! 

The  second  foolish  choice  which  the  sinner 
makes  is  this  : — He  prefers  the  interests  of  the 
body  to  the  interests  of  the  soul.  That  he  does 
this  is  evident,  because  with  him  the  body  is 
the  favourite.  It  is  fed,  it  is  clothed,  it  is  ten- 
derly cherished;  and  when  sick,  O  then  no 
pains,  no  expense  is  spared  to  restore  it  to 
health :  but  the  soul,  alas !  with  the  sinner  it  is 
like  a  poor  motherless  child,  sadly  neglected. 
It  may  be  sick,  nigh  unto  death,  even  the  bitter 
pangs  of  the  second  and  everlasting  death,  and 
yet  it  excites  no  interest!  no  provision  is  made  for 
its  comfort,  nor  even  for  its  safety  !  Yes,  whilst 
the  sinner  is  so  careful  of  his  body,  he  really 
treats  his  soul  as  if  it  were  a  thing  of  no  value. 
Now,  let  us  compare  one  with  the  other — what 
is  the  body,  and  what  is  the  soul?  What  is  the 
body  ?  It  is  of  the  earth  earthy.  What  is  the 
soul  ?  The  breath  of  the  Almighty !  What  is 
the  body?  It  is  allied  to  the  beasts  that  perish. 
What  is  the  soul  ?  Allied  to  Him  that  liveth  for 
ever  and  ever.     Whilst  the  body  is  confined  to 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  165 

a  small-  spot  of  earth,  the  soul  ranges  through 
the  vast  fields  of  creation — examines  the  beauty 
of  the  various  parts — 'the  amazing  grandeur  of 
the  mighty  whole.  Rising  above  all  worlds, 
the  soul  of  man  approach€S  the  throne  of  Him, 
whom  the  heaven,  and  the  heaven  of  heavens 
cannot  contain;  contemplates  his  eternal  power 
and  Godhead,  and  all  the  high,  and  all  the  lofty 
things  which  belong  to  the  Divine  nature. 
Standing,  as  it  were,  by  the  throne  of  the  great 
Creator,  it  looks  back  to  the  period  when  as  yet 
no  sun  had  lighted  up  the  heavens ;  not  a  star 
had  as  yet  glittered  upon  "  the  mantle  of  unes- 
sential night."  Spreading  its  airy  wings,  it 
shoots  forward  into  futurity,  and,  outstripping 
the  roll  of  ten  thousand,  thousand  ages,  it  there 
hovers  over  the  vast,  the  boundltfss  ocean  of  eter- 
nity; then  climbing  the  immortal  heights , of  the 
New  Jerusalem,  it  revels  in  all  the  joys  of  the 
paradise  of  God,  or,  cast  down  to  fiery  deeps, 
and  endless  night,  it  converses  with  groans  un- 
pitied,  unrespited,  ages  of  hopeless  end  !  The 
body  and  the  soul  compared  together!  0,  tell 
me,  what  is  the  body?  " Fragile,  frail  as  vege- 
tation's tender  leaf,  or,  as  the  passing  meteor, 
brief!  When  long  this  miserable  frame  shall 
have  vanished  from  life's  busy  scene,  that  sun 
shall  flame,  those  orbs  shall  roll,  as  though  this 
dust  had -■  never  been!"  What  is  the  soul? 
"  Immortal  mind !  by  grovelling  matter  un- 
confined!    the  same  when  states  and  empires 


166  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

change  !  When  suns  have  waned,  and  worlds 
subUme  their  final  revolutions  told — the  soul 
shall  flourish  over  time  as  though  such  orbs 
had  never, rolled  !"  And  yet,  the  sinner  prefers 
the  interests  of  the  body  to  the  interests  of  the 
soul.  Is  the  sinner  a  wise  man  ?  Is  he  not  a 
fool  ?  I  do  not  say  that  he  is ;  I  lay  the  argu- 
ment before  you — you  have  an  understanding 
as  well  as  the  speaker — judge  ye. 

The  third  foolish  choice  of  the  sinner  is  this  : 
He  prefers  temporal  pleasure  to  eternal  happi- 
ness; and  in  so  doing  verily  he  prefers  the 
rags  to  the  robes;  the  pebbles  to  the  jewels, 
and  the  shadow  to  the  substance.  But  that 
the  sinner  does  make  the  choice  which  we 
affirm,  can  be  known  and  read  of  all  men,  for 
his  incessant  cty  is,  "  Who  will  show  me  any 
good?"  And,  although  the  objects  of  pursuit 
are  e^xceedingly  diversified,  they  are  all  of  an 
earthly  stamp.  Some  seek  enjoyment  in  the 
riches  of  the  world,  some  in  the  honours  of 
the  world,  and  some  in  the  pleasures  of  the. 
world.  But  now,  tell  me,  my  hearers,  when 
did  these  things  ever  yet  make  man  or  wo- 
man happy  ?  If  riches  could  make  one  happy, 
I  suppose  that  Haman  ought  to  have  been 
a  very  happy  man ;  for  he  was  so  rich  that 
he  could  off'er  king  Ahasuerus  no  less  than 
a  thousand  talents  for  the  destruction  of  the 
Jews.  But  was  Haman  happy?  You  recol- 
lect that  on  a  certain  occasion,  he  called  to- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  167 

gether  his  friends,  and  Zeresh,  his  wife,  and 
told  them  of  all  the  glory  of  his  riches,  and 
then  added,  "  All  these  things  avail  me  nothing 
so  long  as  I  see  Mordecai,  the  Jew,  seated  at 
king's  gate!"  Here  was  a  worm  at  the  root  of 
his  happiness.  If  military  honours  could  make 
one  happy,  I  should  suppose  that  Alexander 
the  Great  might  have  been  a  happy  man ;  but 
he  was  not,  for  we  are  told  he  wept  because  he 
had  not  another  world  to  conquer.  If  sensual 
gratifications  could  make  one  happy,  I  should 
think  that  Colonel  Gardiner  might  certainly 
have  been  a  happy  man ;  for  lie  was  emphatically 
a  man  of  pleasure,  and  was  even  called  "  The 
happy  rake!"  But  was  he  happy?  O  no,  for 
he  himself,  after  his  conversion,  testifies,  that 
once  when  he  was  in  the  very  midst  of  all  the 
pleasurable  indulgences  of  the  world,  a  dog 
happening  to  come  into  the  room,  he  actually 
sighed,  and  said  to  himself,  "  O  that  I  were 
that  dog!"  Ah!  my  brethren,  believe  me,,  "the 
world  can  never  give,  the  bliss  for  which  we 
sigh."  And,  in  truth,  we  can  no  more  expect 
to  find  perfect  happiness  in  the  world  and  the 
things  thereof,  than  we  may  expect  to  find, 

"  Mellow  grapes  beneath  the  icy  pole  ! 
Blooming  roses  on  the  cheek  of  death;  or 
Substance  in  a  world  of  unsubstantial  shades." 

Solomon  made  a  full  experiment  of  the  matter, 
for  there  was,  it  seems,  no  source  of  earthly  en- 


168  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

joyment  to  which  he  had  not  repaired  in  his  pur- 
suit after  happiness;  and  yet  in  the  winding  up, 
he  was  constrained  to  say,  "Vanity  of  vanities! 
all  is  vanity !" — Yes,  my  brethren,  it  is  even  so. 
In  the  possession  of  riches,  in  the  possession  of 
honours,  in  the  possession  of  all  the  world  calls 
good  or  great,  "  the  heart  distrustful  asks  if  this 
be  joy  ?"  But  now,  suppose  some  man  of  the 
world,  in  this  assembly,  should  rise  up  and 
say,  "  Sir,  you  are  mistaken,  I  am  no  Chris- 
tian ;  I  am  a  worldling,  as  you  term  it,  and  I 
am  happy — perfectly  happy.  The  angel  Ga- 
briel is  not  happier  than  I  am."  No  man,  I 
presume,  can  make  such  a  remark;  but  if  a 
single  one  of  the  human  race  now  upon  earth 
should  be  able  to  make  such  a  remark,  might 
we  not  reply :  Be  it  so ;  but,  sir,  how  long  is 
this  happiness  going  to  last?  "The  ground  of 
a  certain  rich  man,"  says  the  Saviour,  "brought 
forth  plentifully,  and  he  thought  within  him- 
self, saying.  What  shall  I  do,  because  I  have  no 
room  where  to  bestow  my  fruits?  and  he  said, 
This  will  I  do :  I  will  pull  down  my  barns,  and 
build  greater ;  and  there  will  I  bestow  all  my 
fruits  and  my  goods;  and  I  w^ill  say  to  my  soul, 
Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  in  store  for 
many  years — take  thine  ease;  eat,  drink,  and 
be  merry !  but  God  said  unto  him,  Thou  fool, 
this  night  shall  thy  soul  be  required  of  thee." 
You  see  then,  my  dear  brethren,  how  the 
matter  stands.     No  unconverted  sinner  can  at 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  169 

any  given  period  say,  I  am  now  happy,  perfect- 
ly happy?  No,  no !  this  happiness  is  always 
in  prospect.  Sometimes  it'  may  appear  just  at 
hand,  but  some  how  or  other  it  eludes  the 
grasp  ;  and  even  if  the  particular  object  desired 
be  attained,  how  certain  is  there  to  be  some  dis- 
appointment about  the  matter ;  and  if  no  disap- 
pointment, there  is,  as  we  have  shown,  no  cer- 
tainty of  a  single  day's  continuance.  How 
often  do  laurels  wither  whilst  yet  upon  the 
brow !  and  how  often  do  bubbles  burst  while 
w^e  are  looking  on !  At  the  very  time  that  Ne- 
buchadnezzar considered  himself  in  the  pleni- 
tude of  earthly  glory — at  the  very  time  that 
he  was  walking  in  the  palace  of  the  kingdom 
of  Babylon,  surveying  the  magnificence  of 
his  capital,  and  saying  in  the  pride  of  his 
heart,  "Is  not  this  great  Babylon  that  I  have 
built,  for  the  house  of  the  kingdom,  by  the 
might  of  my  power,  and  for  the  honour  of  my 
majesty."  Mark!  "while  the  words  were  in 
the  king's  mouth,  there  fell  a  voiqe  from  hea- 
ven unto  him,  saying,  0  king  Nebuchadnez- 
zar, to  thee  it  is  spoken;  the  kingdom  is  de- 
parted from  thee."  And  so  passes  away  all 
earthly  joy.  Such  is  the  true  character  of 
all  temporal  pleasure,  unsatisfying  at  the  best, 
and  transitory  at  that.  0 !  how  can  one  who 
has  an  immortal  soul,  and  bound  for  eternity, 
content  himself  with  a  thing  so  unsubstantial 
and  so  evanescent?     And  yet  the  sinner  values 

12 


170  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

it  highly;  yea,  prefers  temporal  pleasure,  such 
as  it  is,  to  eternal  happiness.  Eternal  hap- 
piness! what  is  it?  Were  I  a  glorified  spirit, 
I  would  know  it ;  were  I  an  adoring  seraph,  I 
would  feel  it — ^but  were  I  a  glorified  spirit  or 
an  adoring  seraph,  I  could  never,  no  never  de- 
scribe it:  for,  according  to  the  apostle,  "Eye 
hath  not  seen,  ear  hath  not  heard,  nor  hath  it 
entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  what  things  God 
hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him."  Eter- 
nal happiness!  "Beloved,"  says  the  apostle, 
"now  are  we  the  sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not 
yet  appear  what  we  shall  be,  but  we  know  that 
when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him,  for 
w^e  shall  see  him  as  he  is."  0  !  think  of  the 
beatific  vision  of  God  and  the  Lamb;  think 
of  the  sweet  society  of  saints  and  angels;  think 
of  the  perpetual  exercise  of  all  heavenly  affec- 
tions, the  everlasting  contemplation  of  all  glo- 
rious objects!  -  O  think! — no  sin,  no  sorrow 
there!  but  joy,  pure  joy,  seraphic  joy,  and  joy 
for  ever !  O  think  of  the  soul  of  the  Christian 
falling  asleep  in  Jesus ;  waked  up  from  the  bed 
of  death  by  the  music  of  the  skies,  and  caught 
up  to  heaven  on  angels'  wings,  it  comes  into 
the  presence  of  a  smiling  God — finds  itself  with- 
in the  precincts  of  eternal  day !  Glory  above, 
and  glory  beneath,  and  glory  around,  and  glory 
within!  The  whole  soul  swimming  as  it  were 
in  the  pure  element  of  celestial  joy.  0  think 
of  being  in  heaven  with  the  blessed  Jesus  and 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  171 

his  holy  angels,  and  the  spirits  of  the  just  made 
perfect,  a  thousand  years !  The  bare  thought 
of  it  is  enough  to  make  the  heart  of  the  believ- 
er, even  on  earth,  to  leap  for  joy.  Only  think 
of  being  in  heaven  amid  all  its  glories  and  its 
joys  a  thousand  years  !  And  when  that  thou- 
sand years  shall  have  passed  away,  then  ano- 
ther thousand  years !  and  then  another !  and 
yet  another !     Bless  the  Lord ! 

"  When  we've  been  there  ten  thousand  years, 
Briorht  shinincr  as  the  sun  : 
We've  no  less  days  to  sing  God's  praise 
Than  when  we  first  begun." 

What  did  I  say? — Ten  thousand  years!  Let 
every  leaf  of  the  forest  stand  for  ten  thousand 
years  of  celestial' joy;  let  every  dew  drop  of 
the .  morning  stand  for  ten  thousand  years  of 
celestial  joy;  let  every  star  in  yonder  firma- 
ment stand  for  ten  thousand  years  of  celestial 
joy ;  add  all  these  together,  and  even  when  all 
these  ages  heaped  on  ages  shall  have  passed 
away,  we  shall  have  no  less  days  to  sing  God's 
praise  than  when  we  first  begun.  0  !  who  can 
measure  the  millionth  part  of  the  height  and 
depth,  and  length  and  breadth,  of  this  ocean 
of  eternal  happiness — eternal  joy  !  and  yet,  the 
sinner  prefers  temporal  pleasure,  chaffy  and 
transitory  as  it  is,  to  the  whole  of  it.  Only 
think !  he  prefers  temporal  pleasure  to  eternal 
happiness !  that  is,  he  prefers  the  rags  to  the 


172  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

robes,  the  pebbles  to  the  jewels,  the  shadow  to 
the  substance!  Is  the  sinner  a  wise  man? 
Men  of  intellect,  judge  ye. 

But  if  the  folly  of  the  sinner  appears  in  the 
choice  which  he  makes,  it  will  appear  with 
equal  clearness 

II.  In  the  conduct  which  he  pursues.  The 
sinner,  who,  taken  up  with  the  things  of  time 
and  sense,  puts  away  from  him  the  higher 
claims  of  God,  and  his  undying  soul,  does 
many  very  foolish  things,  for  example : 

First. — He  rebels  against  God  his  Maker, 
refusing  to  submit  to  his  authority,  and  prac- 
tically saying  by  his  conduct.  Who  is  the 
Lord  that  I  should  obey  him  ?  I  know  not  the 
Lord,  neither  will  I  obey  his  voice.  This  is 
impious,  and  most  foolish  too.  The  sinner  re- 
bels against  God  his  Maker,  and  what  harm 
has  God  his  Maker  done  him?  Was  it  any 
harm  in  God  to  love  the  world,  and  give  his 
Son  to  die  for  its  redemption?  Was  it  any 
harm  in  God  to  institute  the  ministry  of  recon- 
ciliation, and  send  one  servant  after  another  to 
persuade  the  sinner  to  ground  the  weapons  of 
his  rebellion,  that  it  might  be  well  with  him  in 
the  latter  end  ?  Was  it  any  harm  in  God  to 
send  his  Holy  Spirit  to  move  upon  his  heart  to 
draw  him  to  the  foot  of  the  cross,  from  which 
spot  alone  he  can  ascend  to  glory  ?  Or,  was  it 
any  harm  in  God  to  shower  down  blessings 
upon   the  sinner   without  number,   and   keep 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  173 

him  alive,  when  he  was  not  prepared  to  die? 
and  yet  the  sinner  rebels  against  him.  O ! 
what  ingratitude  and  what  folly  !  and  is  there 
not  also  madness  in  this  folly?  Who  is  the 
sinner,  and  who  is  God,  that  the  sinner  should 
rebel  against  his  Maker?  The  sinner!  who  is 
he?  Is  he  not  an  atom  of  an  atom  world? 
and  God!  who  is  he?  Is  he  not  that  great  and 
glorious  Being,  who  fills  with  his  presence  all 
immensity!  Who  is  the  sinner?  Is  he  not  a 
worm  of  the  dust,  and  crushed  before  the 
moth  ?  and  who  is  God  ?  Is  he  not  that  great 
omnipotent  Being,  "  who  can  create  and  can 
destroy," — who  "can  dash  w^hole  worlds  to 
death  and  make  them  when  he  please?"  O! 
think,  the  sinner  is  daily  and  hourly  depen- 
dent upon  God  for  every  mercy,  and  even  for 
every  breath.  Yes,  it  is  in  God  that  the  sin- 
ner "  lives  and  moves,  and  has  his  being;"  and 
this  God  can,  in  a  moment,  raise  him  to  hea- 
ven, and  make  him  an  angel  of  light,  or,  in  a 
moment,  cast  him  down  to  hell,  and  make  him 
a  spirit  for  ever  damned.  Now,  these  things 
being  so,  the  smallest  particle  of  common  sense 
one  would  think  sufficient  to  show  that  the 
first  and  most  important  thing  is  to  secure  the 
favour  of  God,  for  if  God  be  for  us  who  can  be 
ao^ainst  us  ?  and  if  God  be  against  us  who  can 
be  for  us?  Now,  although  this  principle  is 
just  as  clear  as  the  sun  in  the  heavens,  or,  as 
clear  as  any  thing  can  be,  yet  the  sinner  rebels 


174  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

against  liis  Maker;  and,  what  is  more,  con- 
tinues in  this  rebeUion;  yes,  obstinately  con- 
tinues in  this  rebellion,  not  for  days  and  weeks 
only,  but  for  many  months — many  years!  and 
that  too  when  this  all-powerful  and  gracious 
God,  by  his  word,  his  providence,  and  his 
Spirit,  is  kindly  following  him,  saying,  "  Turn 
ye,  turn  ye,  for  why  will  ye  die  ?"  and  whilst, 
also,  the  remarkable  words  of  the  apostle  are 
yet  sounding  in  his  ears:  "  Now  then,  we  are 
ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  be- 
seech yoTi  by  us,  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead, 
be  ye  reconciled  unto  God."  In  spite  of  all, 
the  sinner  rebels  agrainst  his  Maker.  Is  the 
sinner  a  wise  man?  O  no!  his  conduct,  in 
this  matter,  is  certainly  most  foolish  and  un- 
wise ;  and  this  is  not  the  only  example,  for 

Second. — The  sinner  is  going  to  an  eternal 
w^orld,  and  makes  no ,  preparation  for  that  eter- 
nal world.  If  a  person  knew  that  he  must  go 
to  Oregon,  or  some  other  distant  country,  and 
there  spend  the  remnant  of  his  life  on  earth, 
would  it  not  be  right  and  proper  for  him  to 
think  upon  the  matter,  and  make  some  prepa- 
ration; especially  if,  every  now  and  then,  he 
saw  a  neighbour  starting  for  that  country,  and 
knew  not  but  he  might  have  himself  to  set  out 
the  very  next  day  ?  But  suppose,  in  these  cir- 
cumstances, he  should  take  no  interest  in  the 
matter,  make  no  inquiries  about  the  soil  there, 
nor  the  society  there,  and  make  no  provision 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  175 

for  his  well-being  and  comfort  there,  would  not 
this  be  very  strange?  But  the  sinner  is  going 
to  that  world  from  whose  bourne  no -traveller 
returns,  and  he  makes  no  preparation  whatever. 
And,  observe  :  it  is  quite  possible  for  a  person 
to  go  to  Oregon,  or  any  distant  country  on 
earth,  and  even  when  no  preparation  had  been 
made,  find  himself  very  comfortably  fixed 
w^hen  arrived  there;  but  he  who  enters  the 
eternal  world  without  preparation,  must  be 
miserable  for  ever !  and  yet  the  sinner  makes 
no  preparation.  O,  what  an  awful  infatuation 
this  is!  A  certain  nobleman,  as  the  story 
goes,  had  a  rude  wit  in  his  employ,  called  a 
fool.  Amused  with  a  remark  of  his  one  day, 
the  nobleman  orave  him  his  walkinor  cane,  with 
this  injunction : — ''Take  this  walking-cane,  and 
keep  it  until  you  meet  w4th  a  greater  fool  than 
yourself,  and  then  give  it  to  him."  The  man 
kept  the  walking-cane  for  a  length  of  time, 
not  meeting  with  any  one  whom  he  deemed  a 
greater  fool  than  himself  In  process  of  time, 
however,  his  lordship  was  laid  upon  a  dying 
bed,  and  sending  for  the  rude  wit,  addressed 
him  thus : — "  Farewell !"  "  Where  is  your  lord- 
ship going?"  said  the  man.  "I  am  going  to 
my  long  home,"  replied  the  nobleman.  "  Your 
long  home!"  rejoined  the  man — "Your  long 
home !  How  long  is  your  lordship  going  to 
stay  there?" — "  O,"  said  the  dying  nobleman, 
"  I  am  never  to  return !" — "  Never  to  return !" 


176  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

exclaimed  the  man,  "  never  to  return !" — "  No," 
said  the  nobleman,  "I  am  going  to  eternity, 
and  am  never  to  return." — "  Has  your  lordship 
made  any  preparation  for  that  long  home?" 
"No,"  said  he,  ''I  have  not."— " Then,"  re- 
plied the  man,  "  your  lordship  will  please  to 
take  the  walking-cane !  you  are  certainly  a 
greater  fool  than  I  am; — please  to  take  the 
walking-cane."  If  this  be  deemed  a  quaint 
illustration,  sure  I  am  it  is  forcible,  and  much 
to  the  point.  Only  think!  the  sinner  is 
going  to  an  eternal  world!  In  that  eternal 
world  there  is  a  heaven  of  unspeakable  and 
everlasting  happiness  for  those  who  have  made 
preparation  for  it;  and  for  those  who  have 
made  no  preparation,  there  is  a  world  of  woe, 
an  awful  hell,  which  must  be  his  dwelling-place 
to  all  eternity.  And  yet  the  sinner  makes  no 
preparation!  Regardless  of  his  eternal  inte- 
rests, he  is  trifling  with  his  undying  soul.  Is 
this  acting  the  part  of  a  wise  man  ?  Is  it  not 
rather  acting  the  part  of  a  madman  and  a  fool? 
O  ye,  who,  carried  away  by  the  things  of  this 
world,  forget  that  you  have  undying  souls — 
that  you  must  soon  be  in  eternity — and  must 
soon  be  in'  heaven  or  in  hell !  O  think  about 
your  need  of  preparation,  before  the  season  for 
it  be  over  and  gone  for  ever.     But 

A  third  exhibition  of  the  sinner's  folly  is  this : 
He  is  condemned ;  a  pardon  is  freely  offered  by 
the  Lord,  and  he  rejects  the  offered  pardon. 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  177 

Now,  this  crowns  the  climax  of  the  sinner's 
folly,  and  beyond  this,  I  see  not  how  madness 
and  folly  can  go  another  step !  Were  you,  my 
brethren,  ever  in  a  court  house?  Did  you  see 
a  man  there  arraigned  on  a  charge  of  murder  ? 
The  judge  seated,  the  ji]ry  empannelled,  the 
witnesses  giving  in  their  testimony?  Were 
you  present  when  the  jury  brought  in  the  ver- 
dict, guilty  ?  Were  you  present  when  the  judge 
pronounced  the  sentence  of  death  ?  O  what  a 
moment  that  was!  What  breathless  silence! 
What  painful  sympathy  !  How  was  every  eye 
fixed  upon  the  unhappy  criminal,  upon  whom 
the  dreadful  sentence  of  the  law  had  been  pro- 
nounced !  You  expected,  no  doubt,  to  see  him 
tremble  and  turn  pale.  Suppose  he  cared  no- 
thing about  the  matter — and  suppose  his  coun- 
sel should  have  come  to  him,  and  said,  "0,  my 
dear  client,  you  are  condemned,  and  I  must 
confess,  righteously  condemned ;  but  I  can't 
bear  the  idea  of  the  sentence  of  the  law  beino- 
inflicted  upon  you! — I  will  obtain  a  reprieve 
for  you,  if  I  can ;  I  will  get  up  a  petition ;  I 
will  go  to  the  governor ;  I  will  leave  no  stone 
unturned  to  obtain  a  pardon  for  you." — Sup- 
pose, I  say,  in  such  circumstances,  the  prisoner 
at  the  bar,  condemned,  should  turn  upon  his 
heel  and  reject  the  kind  offer — would  not  the 
judge,  the  jury,  the  spectators — would  not  all 
pronounce  him  a  fool?  Only  think:  the  man 
is  condemned  to  die,  and  one  offers  to  obtain  a 


178  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

pardon  for  him,  and  he  rejects  the  kind  offer. 
Surely  the  man  is  not  in  his  right  mind. — Now, 
this  is  a  true  picture  of  the  sinner — every  fea- 
ture exact.  Is  not  the  sinner  found  guilty?  Is 
he  not  condemned?  Yes,  for  the  Bible  says, 
expressly,  "  He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned 
already;"  aye,  and  according  to  John  the  Bap- 
tist, "  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  upon  him" — 
hangs  over  his  head,  like  the  stormy  cloud, 
ready  to  burst  at  any  moment ;  or,  like  the  axe 
of  the  executioner,  liable  to  fall  without  a  mo- 
ment's warning.  Now,  in  these  fearful  cir- 
cumstances, the  blessed  Saviour,  the  sinner's 
friend  and  advocate,  comes  to  him  with  tender- 
ness and  compassion,  and  says,  "  O  poor  sinner, 
art  thou  condemned?  Yes,  righteously;  but, 
sinner,  I  bring  you  good  news !  I  am  come  all 
the  way  from  heaven  to  earth  to  seek  and  to 
save  that  which  was  lost!  I  have  made  the 
great  atoning  sacrifice,  and  now,  here  is  a  free 
and  full  pardon  offered  to  you,  through  faith  in 
my  blood!"  Take  it,  sinner,  and  your  sins 
shall  all  be  blotted  out !  Take  it,  sinner,  and 
you  shall  have  peace  with  the  God  that  made 
you !  Take  it,  sinner,  and  you  shall  die  in 
peace,  and  in  the  world  to  come,  heaven  shall 
be  your  final  home ! — O  take  it,  sinner,  your 
loving,  dying  Saviour  bids  you  take  it.  It  cost 
him  much ;  even  tears,  and  groans,  and  stream- 
ing blood,  and  the  painful  death  of  the  cross ; 
hut,  to  you,  it  is  offered  "  without  money  and 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  179 

witliont  price !"  And  now,  what  does  the  sinner 
do  ?  Clinging  to  his  lusts,  he  rejects  the  offered 
pardon !  He  does  more  than  this — he  grasps, 
as  it  were,  the  soldier's  spear,  and  thrusts  it 
into  the  Saviour's  side !  He  treads  under  foot 
the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God !  "  Father,  for- 
give them,  they  know  not  what  they  do !"  Ah ! 
my  brethren,  whether  we  consider  the  sinner's 
choice,  or  sinner's  conduct,  we  see  that  folly, 
consummate  folly,  is  stamped  upon  the  whole. 
And  now,  what  is  to  be  the  end  of  these  things  ? 
What  says  our  text?  *'  Shame  shall  be  the  pro- 
motion of  fools."  0  what  a  poor  reward  this 
is ;  and  yet  it  is  all  that  such  folly  deserves.  As 
he  that  sows  to  the  wind  can  reap  nothing  bet- 
ter than  the  w^hirlwind,  so  "  shame  shall  be  the 
promotion  of  fools."  There  is,  if  I  mistake  not, 
irony  as  well  as  truth  in  the  language  of  our 
text — "  shame  shall  be  the  promotion  of  fools." 
The  idea  is  this:  Pluming  themselves  upon 
their  own  supposed  wisdom,  and  lightly  esteem- 
ing the  truly  pious,  they  entertain  high  expecta- 
tions, and  promise  themselves  great  things ;  but 
shame,  everlasting,  shame  only,  must  be  the 
result  of  all  the  towering  and  vain  expecta- 
tions with  which  impenitent  sinners  here  are 
pleased  to  deceive  themselves.  Shame,  we 
have  reason  to  believe,  will  constitute  one  very 
bitter  ingredient  in  the  torment  of  the  damned 
in  hell.  Daniel  has  reference  to  this  matter: 
"  Many  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth," 


180  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

says  he,  "shall  awake;  some  to  everlasting 
life,  and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  con- 
tempt." 

This  shame  will  arise  from  several  sources: — 

1.  From  disappointment.  Should  a  soldier 
be  cashiered  for  cowardice,  when  he  expected 
promotion  for  his  supposed  bravery?  Should  an 
author  be  cried  down  when  he  expected  great 
applause  ?  or,  should  a  person  find  that  no  men- 
tion is  made  of  him  in  a  will,  when  he  expected 
to  be  one  of  the  principal  heirs;  in  all  such 
cases,  disappointment  w^ould  be  a  matter  of 
shame.  How  much  more  when  the  sinner 
wakes  up  in  eternity,  and  finds  all  his  fond 
hopes  of  heaven  blasted  for  ever !  But  shame 
will  arise, 

2.  From  the  full  development  of  character 
which  shall  then  be  made.  I  suppose  that  the 
most  moral,  person  in  this  assembly  would  not 
have  things  that  he  has  thought,  and  said,  and 
done,  to  be  revealed,  even  to  his  own  domestic 
circle,  for  any  consideration;  and  if  this  dis- 
closure were  made,  he  would  be  overwhelmed 
with  shame.  What,  then,  will  be  the  amount 
of  that  shame  which  shall  come  upon  the  sin- 
ner when  every  thing  which  he  has  ever 
thought,  and  said,  and  done,  shall  be  revealed, 
in  the  presence  of  God,  and  angels,  and  men, 
in  the  great  judgment  day  ? 

Some  years  since,  a  certain  man  in  one  of 
our  Atlantic  cities,  was  charged  with  a  very 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  181 

base  act — was  charged  with  opening  a  letter 
which  had  been  put  into  the  post  office,  and 
divulging  some  family  secrets  which  that  letter 
contained.  He  denied  the  charge.  A  committee 
was  appointed  to  investigate  the  charge,  and 
make  a  report.  I  was  present  when  the  report 
was  made.  In  the  presence  of  some  one  or  two 
hundred  citizens,  the  chairman  of  the  commit- 
tee came  forward  and  said — "  We  have  investi- 
gated the  charge  alleged  against  the  gentle- 
man, and  find  it  to  be  tcue."  I  saw  the  man 
the  moment  his  character  was  thus  blasted  for 
ever.  After  one  frantic  effort  with  a  pistol  to 
take  the  life  of  the  person  who  had  thus  ex- 
posed him,  he  dropped  his  head ;  he  could  not 
bear  to  look  upon  man  or  woman  any  more; 
and,  returning  to  his  lodgings,  he  laid  himself 
down  upon  his  bed,  and  died  of  a  broken  heart. 
Shame  killed  him.  And  now,  if  the  divulfjinff 
of  one  base  act  in  such  an  assembly  on  earth 
occasioned  him  such  overwhelming,  heart- 
breaking shame,  0!  what  intolerable  shame 
must  come  upon  the  sinner  when  every  base 
act,  when  every  impure  thought,  when  every 
unlawful  deed  shall  be  revealed,  as  we  have 
said,  before  God,  and  angels,  and  men !  Me- 
thinks,  in  anguish,  he  will  exclaim — "  0  that  I 
had  never  had  a  being !"  or,  "  O  that  I  could 
now  hide  me  beneath  the  mountain's  base  or 
the  ocean's  wave  !"  "  Shame  shall  be  the  pro- 
motion of  fools !" 


182  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

3.  A  third  source  of  shame  will  be  the  mani- 
festation of  the  sinner's  folly.  If  a  person  has 
acted  very  foolishly,  even  in  common  matters,  he 
does  not  like  it  to  be  generally  known  and 
talked  about ;  but  his  consummate  folly  in  re- 
lation to  spiritual  matters  must  be  known  and 
read  of  all  men — aye,  and  it  will  be  seen  and  felt 
by  himself,  in  a  manner  never  seen  and  felt  be- 
fore. That  this  matter  may  be  presented  more 
clearly,  suppose  that  this  were  the  judgment 
day — trump  sounding,  dead  rising,  God  de- 
scending, angels  shouting,  devils  wailing,  earth 
burning !  Suppose  all  the  solemnities  and  ter- 
rors of  the  judgment  day  now  before  us!  The 
sinner,  now  stationed  upon  the  left  hand,  finds 
himself  lost  for  ever.  He  looks  back  upon  the 
scenes  of  this  world,  and  he  remembers — (O, 
he  would  forget  every  thing  if  he  could,  but 
he  cannot — "  Son,  remember !"  says  Abraham 
to  the  rich  man  in  hell) — yes,  whether  the 
sinner  choose  it  or  not,  he  must  look  back  upon 
the  scenes  of  this  world — whether  he  choose 
it  or  not,  he  will  remember — what  ?  Why,  the 
choice  which  he  made,  and  the  conduct  which 
he  pursued  on  earth.  For  example,  he  will 
remember  that  when  on  earth,  he  preferred  the 
favour  of  man  to  the  favour  of  God !  Now  he 
sees  this  great  God  in  all  his  grandeur  and  his 
glory ;  by  his  almighty  arm  bearing  up  heaven, 
earth,  and  hell;  smiling  upon  the  righteous 
and  frowning  upon  the  wicked ;  crowning  with 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  183 

bliss  and  glory  the  one,  and  pouring  wratli  and 
ruin  upon  the  other.     And  0!   to  think  that 
vi'hen  on  earth  he  preferred  the  favour  of  that 
man,  that  rotted  in  the  grave,  or  is  now,  per- 
haps, damned  at  his  side,  to  the  favour  of  this 
great  and  glorious  God;  O,  how  will  the  sinner 
be  sensible  of  his  folly  then !  How  will  he  cry 
out,  in  the  anguish  of  his  soul,—"  O,  my  folly, 
my  madness,  when  on  earth !     Of  a  truth,  I 
preferred  the  rags  to  the  robes,  the  pebbles  to 
the   jewels,  the  shadow  to  the  substance.     I 
never  knew,  0  !  I  never  knew  that  I  was  such  a 
fool  before !"     And  he  will  remember — what? 
Why,  that  when  on  earth  he  preferred  the  in- 
terests of  the  body  to  the  interests  of  the  soul. 
By  that  time  he  will  have  seen  the  body  turned 
over  to  corruption  and  the  worm,  and  now  he 
sees  the  soul  in  all  its  capacity  for  happiness 
and  misery; — he  sees  the  souls  of  the  righteous 
robed  and  crowned,  rising,  and  shining,  and 
corruscating  in  glory  unspeakable;  and  sees  the 
souls  of  the  wicked  shrouded  in  darkness  and 
despair,  given  over  to   remorse  and   anguish 
which  no  tongue  can  tell !     When  these  things 
are  before  his  eyes,  what  must  be  his  feelings 
to  remember,  that  when  on  earth  he  preferred 
the  interests  of  that  poor  dying  body  that  had 
to  lie  down  in  the  grave,  to  that  soul  so  mighty 
to  sustain    an  exceeding    great    and    eternal 
weight  of  glory,   or  an  exceeding  great  and 
eternal  weisrht  of  sorrow?     In  this  view  of  the 


184  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

grandeur  and  capacity  of  the  soul  for  happiness 
and  misery,  will  he  not  cry  out — "  O,  fool!  O, 
madman  that  I  was  in  yonder  world !  to  think 
more  of  my  body  than  of  my  soul !  to  prefer 
the  little  interests  of  the  one  to  the  mighty  in- 
terests of  the  other!  Of  a  truth,  I  preferred 
the  rags  to  the  robes — the  pebbles  to  the  jewels 
— the  shadow  to  the  substance.  I  never,  O,  I 
never  knew  that  I  was  such  a  fool  before!" 
And,  there  is  heaven,  too !  what  a  world  of 
glory  and  of  joy?  O,  heaven,  sweet  heaven, 
to  me  lost  for  ever!  And  why?  Because  on 
earth  I  bartered  it  away  for  the  poor,  chaffy, 
short-lived  pleasures  of  time  and  sense !  Where 
was  reason  then  ?  and  whither  had  my  under- 
standing fled?  Why  was  I  so  infatuated  with 
the  world?  O  why  did  I  prefer  earth  to  heaven? 
Why  did  I  prefer  temporal  pleasure  to  eternal 
happiness? — 0,  my  folly!  my  unspeakable  folly! 
Yes,  it  is  true,  it  is  but  too  true,  I  was  a  fool  in 
yonder  world.  I  preferred  the  rags  to  the  robes, 
— the  pebbles  to  the  jewels — the  shadow  to  the 
substance!  And  only  to  think!  I  rebelled 
against  that  great  and  glorious  God,  and  al- 
though frequently  warned,  I  made  no  prepara- 
tion for  this  aw^ful  eternity ;  and,  to  crown  my 
madness  and  my  folly,  although  entreated,  I 
refused  offered  pardon.     Ah !  yes — 

"  Yonder  sits  the  slighted  Saviour, 
With  the  marks  of  dying  love  ! 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  185 

O  that  I  had  sought  his  favour, 
When  I  felt  his  Spirit  move  : 

Golden  rnonoents! 
When  I  felt  his  Spirit  move  !'■' 

4.  The  fourtli  and  last  source  of  shame  which 
I  shall  mention  is,  the  company  with  which 
the  sinner  shall  be  obliged  to  associate — not 
with  the  virtuous  and  the  good,  but  with 
the  infamous  and  the  vile. — Only  think!  with 
murderers,  and  robbers,  and  thieves,  and 
drunkards,  and  liars,  and  pirates,  and  gam- 
blers, and  hypocrites,  and  extortioners,  and  all 
the  mean,  and  all  the  vile,  and  all  the  abomi- 
nable that  ever  lived  and  ever  died ! — and  to 
crown  the  whole,  he  must  have  his  portion 
with  devils  damned,  and  all  the  foul  spirits  of 
the  pit !  0 !  to  be  grouped  with  such  charac- 
ters !  to  have  no  better  society  than, this  to  all 
eternity !  how  overwhelming  the  thought !  and 
how  overwhelming  the  shame !  Cut  off  from 
the  sweet  society  of  the  heavenly  world,  sin- 
ners must  be  linked  with  the  offscouring  of  all 
creation;  and,  verily,  then  shall  be  brought 
to  pass  the  prediction  of  the  Saviour,  "  There 
shall  be  weeping  and  wailing,  and  gnashing  of 
teeth,*'  when  ye  shall  see  Abraham,  and  Isaac, 
and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets  in  the  king- 
dom of  God,  and  you  yourselves  cast  out!  0! 
my  soul !  there  must  be  mourning — mourning, 
at  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ.     Parents  and 

13 


186  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

children  there  must  part;  must  part  to  meet 
no  more.  Husbands  and  wives  there  must 
part;  must  part  to  meet  no  more.  Brothers 
and  sisters,  companions  and  friends,  there  must 
part ;  must  part  to  meet  no  more.  O  !  who  can 
bear  the  idea  of  being  excluded  from  the  dwell- 
ings of  the  blessed,  cut  off  from  the  society  of 
those  whom  we  loved  on  earth,  and  cast  down 
to  hell,  there  to  associate  with  murderers  of 
fathers,  and  murderers  of  mothers,  with  rob- 
bers, and  liars,  and  thieves,  and  swindlers,  and 
pirates,  and  drunkards;  and,  as  we  said,  with 
all  the  mean,  and  all  the  vile,  and  all  the 
abominable !  and  how  will  it  add  to  the  sin- 
ner's anguish  to  think  that  by  his  continuance 
in  sin  he  had  made  himself  unfit  for  a  better 
society,  and  a  better  place !  and  how  will  con- 
science too,  torment  the  sinner's  soul,  thun- 
dering in  his  ear  the  charge  which  he  cannot 
deny — "  Ye  knew  your  duty  and  did  it  not." 
O  yes,  the  sinner  will  be  constrained  to  say, 
"  I  kne\v  what  was  right,  yet  did  what  was 
wrong.  0  my  folly,  my  madness  on  earth! 
and  now  I  wake  up  to  the  full  conviction  of 
my  folly  and  my  madness,  when  it  can  avail 
me  nothing.  O !  it  is  too  late  now.  The  har- 
vest is  past,  the  summer  is  ended,  and  my 
poor  soul  is  not  saved.  0 !  that  I  could  return 
to  the  earth  once  more.  O  !  that  I  could  live 
my  life  over  again.     O  !  that  I  had  one  hour 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  187 

more  to  seek  salvation  in ;  and  if  this  cannot 
be,  0 !  that  I  had  never  been  born,  or  O  !  that 
I  had  slumbered  for  ever  in  my  grave!" 

My  dear  unconverted  friends,  think,  O  think 
upon  these  things.  A  vv^ant  of  thought  has 
ruined  many — let  it  not  ruin  you.  0 !  come 
now,  and  let  the  subject  matter  of  our  discourse 
bear  upon  your  own  case.  What  is  the  choice 
which  you  have  made?  and  vi^hat  is  the  course 
of  conduct  which  you  h^e  pursued?  Have 
you  chosen  the  favour  of  man  in  preference  to 
the  favour  of  God?  and  is  not  this  a  foolish 
choice?  Then  make  this  choice  no  more. 
From  this  moment  seek  the  favour  of  God,  as 
the  object  of  chief  desire.  Have  you  not  set  a 
greater  value  upon  the  interests  of  the  body 
than  upon  the  interests  of  the  soul?  and  have 
you  not  chosen  temporal  pleasure  in  preference 
to  eternal  happiness  ?  O !  be  persuaded  to  do 
this  no  more,  lest  your  precious  souls  be  cut 
off  from  heaven,  and  you  have  none  to  blame 
but  yourselves.  Have  you  rebelled  against 
your  Maker?  was  this  right?  Have  you  ne- 
glected to  make  preparation  for  another  and 
eternal  world?  would  you  approve  of  this  if 
now  laid  upon  a  dying  bed? — and  have  you 
rejected  offered  pardon?  0!  think  what  that 
pardon  will  be  worth  in  that  day  which  shall 
disclose  "  a  God  in  grandeur,  and  a  world  on 
fire."  Come,  my  impenitent  friends,  O  listen 
to  my  voice — 0  attend  to  my  counsel ;  or  ra- 


18S  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

ther,  listen  to  the  voice,  and  attend  to  the 
counsel  of  Him,  who  is  your  Maker,  and  who 
will  soon  sit  in  judgment  upon  your  suuls. 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  "  Consider  your 
ways :  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be 
found:  Call  ye  upon  him  while  he  is  near. 
Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  ways,  and  the  un- 
righteous man  .his  thoughts;  let  him  return 
unto  the  Lord  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon 
him,  and  to  our  G(?d,  for  he  will  abundantly 
pardon." 

"  While  God  invites,  how  blest  the  day, 

How  sweet  the  gospel's  charming  sound  f 
Come  sinners  haste — O  haste  away, 

While  yet  a  pardoning  God  he's  found." 


SERMON  VIL 


THE  DELUGE. 


Gen.  vii.  1. — And  the  Lord  said  unto  Noah,  Come  thou,  and  all  thy 
house,  into  the  ark. 

The  five  books  of  Moses  were  written  more 
than  three  thousand  years  ago,  and  are  sup- 
posed to  be  the  most  ancient  records  now  upon 
earth.  They  give  a  view  of  patriarchal  times, 
and  carry  up  the  history  of  the  world  to  its 
very  creation ;  indeed,  the  history  opens  with 
an  account  of  the  wonder  working  power  of 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  189 

God  exerted  upon  ^'  the  void  immense,"  bring- 
ing into  existence  the  heavens  and  the  earth, 
with  all  their  rich  and  varied  furniture.  When 
the  mighty  vi^ork  was  done,  it  was  all  pro- 
nounced very  good.  Every  thing  was  beau- 
tiful; every  thing  was  perfect.  The  whole 
presented  one  unbroken  scene  of  beauty  and 
enchantment.  It  was  the  morning  of  creation, 
and  most  lovely  was  the  morning !  But,  alas, 
too  soon  there  was  a  sad  change;  for  man, 
originally  made  in  the  moral  image  of  his 
Maker,  sinned!  This  withered  erv^ery  thing 
beautiful  upon  earth;  this 

"  Brought  death  into  the  world,  and  all  our  woe." 

From  the  first  moment  of  man's  apostasy,  the 
blighting  influence  of  sin  began  to  pass  over 
the  face  of  this  fair  creation,  and  its  direful 
effects  were  seen  and  felt  in  various  modes  and 
forms;  chiefly  in  the  deep  depravity  of  human 
nature,  and  in  certain  awful  manifestations  of 
the  divine  displeasure  against  sinning  man. 

With  regard  to  human  depravity,  conse- 
quent upon  the  fall,  it  is  remarkable,  that  the 
first  man  ever  born  into  the  world  proved  a 
murderer,  and  the  second  was  the  person  mur- 
dered. This  was  a  sad  beginning;  and  it 
seemed  to  portend  most  terrible  and  disastrous 
things  in  time  to  come.  It  is  true,  that  at  the 
birth  of  Enos,  the  grandson  of  Adam,  there 
was  a  brightening  of  the  prospect;  "  For,"  says 


190  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

the  historian,  "then  began  men  to  call  npon 
the  name  of  the  Lord  ;"  but,  alas !  it  was  only  as 
the  beaming  of  light  in  a  dark  day.  It  soon 
passed  away,  and  was  succeeded  by  a  deeper 
gloom  than  ever.  Yes,  for  not  very  long  after 
that  period,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  man 
became  exceedingly  corrupt.  Iniquity  began  to 
abound  in  a  most  frightful  manner.  The  earth 
was  filled  with  violence.  "  And  God  saw,"  says 
the  historian,  "  that  the  wickedness  of  man 
was  great  in  the  earth,  and  that  every  imagina- 
tion of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart,  was  only  evil, 
continually — and  the  Lord  said,  I  will  destroy 
man,  whom  I  have  created,  from  the  face  of  the 
earth;  both  man  and  beast. — But,"  continues 
the  historian,  "  Noah  found  grace  in  the  eyes 
of  the  Lord."  Here  is  one  faithful  Abdiel  amid 
legions  of  apostate  spirits — one  righteous  Noah 
standing  alone  in  his  righteousness,  in  the 
midst  of  a  world  lying  in  wickedness.  But, 
although  solitary  and  alone,  he  was  not  over- 
looked. "Noah  found  grace  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Lord — and  the  Lord  said  unto  Noah,  The  end 
of  all  flesh  is  come  before  me ;  for  the  earth  is 
filled  with  violence. — Make  thee  an  ark — and 
behold  I,  even  I,  do  bring  a  flood  of  waters 
upon  the  earth,  to  destroy  all  flesh,  wherein  is 
the  breath  of  life,  from  under  heaven;  and 
every  thing  that  is  in  the  earth  shall  die.  But 
with  thee  will  I  establish  my  covenant;  and 
thou  shalt  come  into  the  ark,  thou,  and  thy 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  191 

sons,  and  thy  wife,  and  thy  son's  wives  with 
thee.  And  of  every  living  thing  of  all  flesh, 
two  of  every  sort  shalt  thou  bring  into  the  ark, 
to  keep  them  alive  with  thee;  they  shall  be 
male  and  female." 

Never,  my  brethren,  was  there  a  more  awful 
communication  made  from  heaven  to  earth  than 
this ;  and  never,  it  seems,  was  any  divine  com- 
mand more  promptly  obeyed.  "  For,"  says  an 
Apostle,  "  by  faith,  Noah  being  warned  of  God, 
of  things  not  seen  as  yet,  moved  with  fear,  pre- 
pared an  ark  to  the  saving  of  his  house."  Many 
things  might  have  tempted  him  to  demur.  The 
work  was  great.  The  ark  which  he  was  re- 
quired to  construct,  was  to  be  three  hundred 
cubits  in  length;  fifty  cubits  in  breadth,  and 
thirty  in  height ;  or,  according  to  our  measure, 
about  five  hundred  feet  long,  eighty  broad, 
and  fifty  high — a  most  gigantic  structure.  I 
have  calculated  the  tonnage,  and  find  it  equal 
to  that  of  some  twenty  merchant  ships  of  the 
largest  class,  at  the  present  time.  The  great- 
ness of  the  work  then  might  have  caused  him 
to  hesitate  in  entering  upon  it.  And  another 
thing  was  this :  Noah  must  have  known  very 
well,  that  in  entering  upon  a  w^ork  of  this  kind, 
so  strange  and  unprecedented,  he  would  most 
certainly  subject  himself  to  derision  and  con* 
tempt — would  become  the  song  of  the  drunk- 
ard, the  butt  of  ridicule  with  many,  and  by  all 
would  be  esteemed  as  a  dreaming  enthusiast. 


193  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

a  fool,  and  a  madman — but  none  of  these  things 
moved  him.  He  had  heard  the  voice  of  God> 
and  faith  was  triumphant.  He  staggered  at 
nothing.  He  verily  believed  that  it  would  be, 
even  as  God  had  said;  and,  therefore,  according 
to  all  that  the  Lord  had  commanded  him,  so 
did  he.  And  now,  with  zeal  and  determina- 
tion, he  enters  upon  this  work — this  strange 
work : — The  foundation  of  the  ark  is  laid ;  the 
gigantic  structure  rises ;  and,  as  the  work  goes 
on,  he  warns  the  world  of  the  ungodly,  of  an 
approaching  deluge,  and  calls  upon  them  to 
repent  and  turn  from  their  sins ;  but  his  words 
seem  to  them  as  idle  tales  which  they  believe 
not,  and  therefore  his  calls  to  repentance  are 
disregarded.  Their  curiosity  however  is  ex- 
cited, and  gathering  around  the  ark  in  crowds, 
they  affect  to  wonder  what  the  good  man 
means.  "  He  says  there  is  going  to  be  a  flood ! 
a  flood  to  drown  the  whole  world  !  Nonsense ! 
Who  ever  heard  of  such  a  thing  ?  Methuselah, 
that  old  man  who  died  the  other  day,  lived  nine 
hundred  and  sixty  and  nine  years — he  never 
saw  or  heard  of  such  a  thing ! — A  flood  to 
drown  the  world !  It  is  all  nonsense !  Where 
can  so  much  water  come  from?  All  perfect 
nonsense !  Poor  old  man '  Surely  he  has  been 
dreaming,  and  his  head  is  turned!"  Thus,  me- 
tliinks,  the  unbelieving  multitude  derided  the 
man  of  God,  and  made  a  mock  of  the  whole 
affair !     The  hireling  workmen,  too,  methinks, 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  193 

made  themselves  merry  at  Noali's  expense — 
especially  when,  the  shades  of  the  evening 
being  come,  they  left  their  work,  and,  with 
their  boon  companions,  merry  over  their  cups, 
they  would  talk  about  the  scenes  of  the  day 
gone  by.  0  what  jesting  and  w^hat  merriment 
then !  Methinks  they  would  tell  how  serious 
and  sad  the  old  man  looked;  how,  ever  and 
anon,  he  would  break  out  in  the  lano^uao^e  of 
warning;  and  when  he  saw  that  they  made 
light  of  it,  how  he  would  burst  into  tears,  and 
w^eep  aloud  in  the  presence  of  them  all !  "  Well, 
to  be  sure,  it  looks  a  little  droll ;  but  it  is  all 
nonsense — a  dream,  perhaps — some  strange, 
foolish  dream ;  but  it  happens  very  well  for  us, 
for  the  job  is  a  good  one,  and  the  dreamer  is 
good  pay  !"  My  brethren,  I  do  not  think  that 
I  have  over-coloured  the  picture.  No  doubt 
such  remarks  were  made,  and  many  such  trials 
Noah  was  called  upon  to  endure.  But  he 
swerved  not,  but  urged  on  the  work,  day  after 
day,  and  as  the  time  appointed  drew  on,  me- 
thinks his  warnings  were  yet  more  frequent 
and  more  loud. 

And  now,  the  ark  is  finished :  the  antedilu- 
vians have  filled  up  the  measure  of  their  ini- 
quit}^;  the  patience  of  God  is  exhausted,  and 
the  day  of  vengeance  is  just  at  hand ! 

But,  as  yet,  all  is  calm  and  serene.  There 
is  nothing  alarming  in  heaven  above,  or  in  the 
earth  beneath,  or  in  the  waters  under  the  earth. 


194  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

The  shining  sun,  the  azure  sky,  and  the  gen- 
tle breeze,  present  nothing  portentous.  The 
events  now  coming,  tremendous  as  they  are, 
cast  no  shadows  before  them.  Every  thing  is 
going  on  in  the  usual  way;  the  beasts  of  the 
earth  are  roaming  in  the  forest;  the  birds  of 
the  air  are  flying  in  the  heavens,  and  the  fish 
of  the  sea  are  sporting  in  the  deep;  still  is 
heard  the  lowing^  of  the  oxen;  the  bleatinsf  of 
the  sheep,  and  the  music  of  the  groves.  The 
hum  of  industry  too  is  heard  on  every  hand, 
and  the  voice  of  jesting,  and  the  voice  of  mirth, 
and  the  shout  of  the  merry-hearted.  They  are 
buying  and  they  are  selling,  they  are  plant- 
ing and  they  are  building,  they  are  marrying 
and  they  are  giving  in  marriage.  I  repeat  it, 
there  is  nothings  strano;e  or  alarmino-  in  heaven 
above,  in  the  earth  beneath,  or  in  the  waters  un- 
der the  earth,  but  every  thing  going  on  in  the 
usual  way.  And  now,  in  the  very  midst  of 
this  scene  of  universal  and  deep  security,  the 
voice  of  God  is  heard !  "  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Noah,  Come  thou,  and  all  thy  house,  into  the 
ark."  The  command  is  o^iven,  faith  is  aorain 
triumphant,  and  Noah  leads  his  family  into 
the  ark.  Yes,  in  the  view  of  a  wondering 
crowd  this  one  righteous  man  leaves  his  dwell- 
ing, and  with  all  his  family  following,  he  en- 
ters into  the  ark;  and  now,  methinks,  mirth 
and  merriment  are  at  their  height ;  jesting  and 
ridicule  are  on  every  hand.     "  Well  done  !  the 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  195 

old  dreamer  is  gone  into  his  ark,  sure  enongh ! 
who  ever  thought  he  would  carry  the  matter 
so  far  ?  Poor  old  man !  now  we  know  that  he 
has  been  dreaming,  and  his  head  is  turned,  for 
we  see  no  sign  of  a  flood  yet ;  and  if  he  waits 
there  until  it  comes,  he  will  wait  long  enough, 
and  if  he  never  dies  till  this  mighty  deluge 
comes,  he  will  live  a  little  longer  than  Methu- 
selah, we  think !"  But  in  the  midst  of  their 
mirth  and  jesting,  suddenly  methinks,  their 
faces  turn  pale.  They  tremble  and  exclaim, 
"  Merciful  God  !  what  is  this !  The  fowls  of 
heaven  are  flying  to  the  ark,  and  birds  of  every 
wing  !  And  see,  too,  the  beasts  of  the  earth  are 
coming  from  the  forest  in  every  direction ! 
And  only  look  upon  the  ground,  how  it  is 
covered  with  creeping  insects,  and  reptiles  of 
every  kind,  all  moving  toward  the  ark,  as  if 
led  on  by  some  invisible  hand,  or  some  strange 
instinct — ominous  of  some  cominof  evil.  O ! 
what  can  this  be?"  And  now  the  mockers  are 
held  in  check,  and  some  are  almost  ready  to 
rush  to  the  ark  and  beg  Noah  to  let  them  in ; 
but  it  is  too  late  now,  for  Noah  and  his  family 
having  entered  in,  and  beasts,  and  birds,  and 
creeping  things,  two  of  every  kind,  as  the 
Lord  commanded — Noah  ceases  to  warn;  the 
door  of  the  ark  is  closed,  and  the  doom  of  an 
incorrigible  world  is  sealed  for  ever !  And  now 
there  are  strange  unprecedented  sights,  and 
voices  inspiring  terror.     God  frowns,  and  all 


196  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

nature  trembles  at  the  frown  of  its  Maker. 
The  elements  begin  to  jar,  the  sun  is  darken- 
ed; the  earth  begins  to  reel  and  stagger  like  a 
drunken  man;  the  waters  are  troubled,  there 
is  a  rumbling  in  the  deep — flying  clouds  are 
seen;  they  pass  swiftly  over  the  face  of  the 
sky — darker  clouds  are  rising,  east,  west,  north, 
south;  and,  who  ever  saw  clouds  so  frowning 
and  so  dark!  and  what  flashes  of  lightning, 
and  what  mighty  thunderings  are  these !  And 
now  the  winds  of  heaven  are  let  loose ;  they 
roar,  and  sweep  tremendously  over  the  earth ; 
the  rain  descends  in  torrents,  the  storm  rages 
more  and  more,  the  fountains  of  the  great  deep 
are  broken  up,  and  the  windows  of  heaven  are 
opened- — and  floods  from  beneath,  and  floods 
from  above,  minolinor  their  waters,  enlarcre  the 
dominions  of  the  deep.  The  ark  is  afloat,  and 
the  rolling  billows  dash  upon  its  sides,  and 
bear  it  along  in  safety  and  in  triumph.  The 
storm  increases,  its  violence  is  most  terrific; 
there  is  one  unbroken  sheet  of  lightning,  and 
mighty  thunders  upon  mighty  thunders  rock 
the  globe ;  amid  jaring  and  roaring  elements, 
heaven  and  earth  seem  mingling"  together,  as 
if  the  last  great  day  were  come.  The  flood  in- 
creases! old  ocean's  barriers  exist  no  more! 
and  where  are  the  mockers  and  the  jesters 
now  ?  None  are  seen !  for  fear,  now,  is  in  every 
bosom ;  and  in  every  face  dismay.  The  cry 
of  agony  is  heard,  it  comes  from  every  quar- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  197 

ter,  and  the  wild  shriek  of  despair  mingles 
with  the  howlings  of  the  storm.  The  terrified 
multitudes,  in  wdld  alarm,  rush  from  place  to 
place  seeking  refuge  and  finding  none.  O! 
how  children  cling  to  their  parents,  and  wives 
to  their  husbands,  and  friend  to  friend,  all  cry- 
ing for  help,  and  crying  in  vain.  Some  hasten 
to  the  tops  of  their  houses,  but  find  no  refuge 
there;  some  plunge  into  the  flood,  and  swim- 
ming around  the  ark,  beg  Noah  to  take  them 
in,  but  the  door  of  the  ark  is  not  opened,  and 
they  struggle,  and  sink  to  rise  no  more.  Some 
rush  to  the  hills,  but  all  in  vain,  for  the  hisfh- 
est  hills  are  covered,  and  they  are  swept  away: 
some  climb  the  trees  of  the  forest,  but  0  !  the 
swelling  waters  rise  higher  than  the  tallest 
trees,  and  they  too  are  swept  away.  And  now 
see  the  few  that  still  survive — they  are  climb- 
ing the  sides  of  the  mountains,  the  flood  pur- 
sues them ;  they  seek  safety  on  the  tops  of  the 
highest  clifts ;  but  O  !  the  relentless  flood !  it 
rises  higher  and  higher  still,  and  now  the  bil- 
lows pass  over  the  mountain  tops,  and  the  last 
remnants  of  the  human  race  shriek,  sink  down, 
and  are  buried  in  the  waters  of  the  mighty 
deep !  All  is  still  now ! — all,  save  the  dashino-  of 
the  billows,  and  the  bellowing  of  the  storm; 
and  now  nought  is  seen  on  any  hand  but  one 
wide  boundless  ocean,  with  its  mighty  billows 
tumbling  round  the  globe.  Yes,  one  thing 
more  is  seen — the  ark !  Noah's  ark ! — yonder  it 


198  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

is  seen,  riding  in  triumph  upon  the  bosom  of 
the  troubled  deep,  amid  floating  carcasses,  and 
the  wreck  of  a  ruined  world. 

There  are  some  important  remarks  which  I 
wish  to  make,  bearing  upon  the  subject  before 
us.  My  first  remark  has  reference  to  the  deluge, 
as  a  matter  of  fact;  and  of  this  there  can  be  no 
reasonable  doubt,  for  the  evidences  thereof  are 
found,  not  only  in  this  volume,  and  in  the  tra- 
ditions of  almost  all  the  nations  of  antiquity, 
but  they  are  found  inscribed  upon  the  very 
face  of  the  earth,  even  up  to  the  present  time. 
Marine  shells,  in  immense  banks,  are  now  seen 
in  Georgia,  and  in  many  other  regions,  in  places 
remote  from  the  ocean ;  and  some  years  ago  the 
skeleton  of  a  whale  was  found  embedded  in  the 
earth  near  the  summit  of  one  of  the  loftiest 
mountains  in  Asia.  Denying  the  fact  of  the 
deluge,  how  can  these  things  be  accounted  for? 
In  boring  the  earth,  in  numerous  places,  logs 
have  been  found  buried  forty,  fifty,  and  even 
sixty  feet  below  the  surface.  If  there  have 
been  no  overflowings  and  mighty  stirring  up 
of  the  waters,  how  can  we  account  for  so  much 
sediment,  or  alluvial  soil?  Moreover,  in  the 
prairies  of  the  south-west,  lone  rocks  are  found 
where  no  quarry  exists;  these  rocks  are  of  the 
same  nature  as  those  found  in  the  Green  Moun- 
tains of  Vermont,  and,  if  torn  from  those  moun- 
tains, and  rolled  so  far,  how  violent  and  mighty 
must  have  been  the  current  which  detached 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  199 

these  rocks  from  the  mountains,  and  bore  them 
with  such  fury  on !  But  some  have  said  the 
story  of  Noah's  flood  is  all  nonsense — a  perfect 
fable.  There  could  be  no  such  thing.  And 
why?  There  is  not  enough  water  in  the  atmo- 
sphere and  connected  with  the  surface  of  the 
globe,  to  submerge  it  in  water.  This  has  not 
been  proved ;  but  suppose  it  were  so,  who  can 
tell  whether  there  may  not  be  vast  reservoirs  of 
water  in  the  centre  of  the  earth,  which  by 
some  chemical  action,  might  have  been  thrown 
upon  the  surface?  And  this  idea  seems  to  be 
sanctioned  by  the  Psalmist,  when,  speaking  of 
the  creation  of  the  earth,  he  says — "  Thou  hast 
founded  it  upon  the  seas,  and  established  it 
upon  the  floods."  Moreover,  the  idea  falls  in 
most  remarkably  with  these  words  of  Moses : — 
"  The  fountains  of  the  great  deep  were  broken 
up."  But  suppose  it  be  ascertained  that  there 
are  no  such  reservoirs  of  water  in  the  heart  of 
the  earth — ^liow  easy  would  it  have  been  for 
Him  who  originally  "  stretched  the  north  over 
the  empty  place,  and  hung  the  earth  upon 
nothing" — I  say,  how  easy  would  it  have  been 
for  Him  to  change  the  polarity  of  the  globe. 
This  done,  the  natural  consequence  would  be, 
the  emptying  of  the  waters  of  the  ocean  upon 
the  land.  This  would  account  for  all  the  facts 
which  we  have  stated ;  and  it  is  a  remarkable 
circumstance,  and  strongly  corroborating  this 
position,  that  the  great  desert  of  Sahara  appears 


200  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

evidently  to  have  been  the  ocean's  bed.  But 
we  need  say  nothing  more  on  this  point,  for 
within  my  own  recollection,  the  enemies  of  the 
Bible  have  changed  their  notes,  and  those  who 
were  wont  to  say  that  Noah's  deluge  was  a 
fable,  now  admit  it  to  be  a  fact — certain  geolo- 
gical discoveries  made  within  twenty  years 
past,  having  placed  the  matter  beyond  all  rea- 
sonable doubt. 

The  second  remark  touching  the  deluge,  has 
reference  to  its  cause.  And  here  we  are  not 
left  to  conjecture,  for  the  Scriptures  are  per- 
fectly clear  upon  this  point.  And  God  saw 
that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  on  the 
earth ;  and  therefore  the  Lord  said  unto  Noah, 
"  The  end  of  all  flesh  is  come  before  me.  Make 
thee  an  ark,  and  behold  I,  even  I,  do  bring  a 
a  flood  of  waters  upon  the  earth,  to  destroy  all 
flesh,  wherein  is  the  breath  of  life,  from  under 
heaven."  Observe,  my  brethren,  it  was  sin 
that  occasioned  the  deluge.  What  a  dreadful 
evil  then  must  sin  be !  Some  persons  look 
upon  sin  as  a  light  and  venial  affair.  They 
have  been  indulging  in  it,  for  lo !  these  many 
years,  and  have  little  concern  about  the  matter. 
0 !  could  they  see  it  as  it  appears  in  the  sight  of 
a  holy  God,  methinks  they  would  tremble  and 
cry  out  with  the  Jerusalem  convicted  sinners, 
"Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do?"  It  is 
supposed  that  there  were  as  many  persons  in 
the  time  of  the  flood,  as  there  are  at  the  pre- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  201 

sent  time,  say  eight  hundred  millions ;  and  if 
so,  what  a  fearful  comment  upon  the  evil  of 
sin.  Eight  hundred  millions  of  human  beings 
swallowed  up  in  one  wide,  yawning,  terrific, 
watery  grave !  O,  methinks  the  flashing  of 
the  lightning,  and  the  pealing  of  the  thunder — 
the  roaring  of  the  storm,  and  the  dashing  of 
the  waters — all,  all  united  to  send  the  notes  of 
warning  far  and  wide — Stand  in  awe,  and  sin 
not.  0,  sinner,  remember  you  have  sinned 
against  the  same  God,  that  those,  in  the  days 
of  Noah,  sinned  against;  and,  be  sure,  your 
sin  will  find  you  out ;  for  you  and  God  must 
meet.  And,  whether  you  choose  it  or  not,  you 
must  give  account  for  all  the  deeds  done  in  the 
body,  whether  they  have  been  good  or  bad; 
and  how  dreadful  will  it  be  for  you,  if  you  be 
not  prepared  for  the  reckoning!  But  this 
leads  to  a 

Third  remark. — The  deluge  may  be  con- 
sidered a  type  of  the  judgment  of  the  great 
day;  and  the  scenes  then  presented,  as  typical 
of  the  scenes  which  will  be  spread  before  the 
eyes  of  all  when  God  shall,  in  the  winding  up 
of  all  human  events,  come  with  his  chariots 
like  a  whirlwind  to  render  his  anger  with  fury, 
and  his  rebukes  with  flames  of  fire.  If  the  de- 
luge was  a  tremendous  aff'air,  the  day  of  judg- 
ment will  be  more  tremendous  still.  When 
God  destroyed  the  world  by  the  waters  of  the 
deluge,  he  came  to  reckon  with  the  sinners  of 

14 


202  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

only  one  generation ;  hut  when  he  shall  come, 
in  the  day  of  final  judgment,  he  will  come  to 
reckon  with  the  sinners  of  every  generation. 
Hence,  in  reference  to  it,  it  is  said,  ''The  great 
day  of  his  wrath  is  come,  and  who  shall  be  able 
to  stand." 

"  Day  of  judgment !  day  of  wonders  ! 
Hark !  the  trumpet's  awful  sound ! 
Louder  than  a  thousand  thunders, 
Shakes  the  vast  creation  round  !" 

O !  what  scenes  of  terror  will  then  be  presented ! 
When  the  deluge  came,  the  fountains  of  the 
great  deep  were  broken  up,  and  the  windows 
of  heaven  were  opened;  and  the  rains  de- 
scended, and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds 
blew,  and  one  vast  and  mighty  tornado  was 
upon  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  striking  with 
consternation  all  the  millions  doomed  to  perish ! 
But,  0 !  how  much  more  terrible  will  be  the 
scenes  of  the  judgment !  "  Great  day  of  God 
Almighty  and  of  the  Lamb !" 

"  Whence  comes  that  darkness?  Whence  those  yells  of  wo  ? 
What  thunderings  are  these  which  shake  the  world? 
Why  fall  the  lamps  from  heaven  as  blasted  figs  ? 
Why  tremble  righteous  men?  Why  angels  pale? 
God  comes  !  God  in  his  car  of  vengeance  comes! 
Hark  !  louder  on  the  blast  come  hollow  shrieks 
Of  dissolution  !     In  the  fitful  scowl 
Of  night,  near  and  more  near  angels  of  death 
Incessant  flap  their  deadly  wings,  and  roar 
Through  all  the  fervid  air !     The  mountains  rock ! 
The  moon  is  sick  !    Stars  cease  your  dancing  now, 
Your  graves  are  dug  among  the  dismal  clouds, 
And  angels  are  assembling  round  your  bier." 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  203 

"And  I  saw,"  says  the  apostle  John,  "a  great 
white  throne,  and  him  that  sat  upon  it,  from 
whose  face  the  earth  and  the  heavens  fled 
away;  and  there  was  found  no  place  for  them. 
And  I  saw  the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  be- 
fore God :  and  the  books  were  opened ;  and 
another  book  was  opened,  which  is  the  book  of 
life ;  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  those 
things  which  were  written  in  the  books,  ac- 
cording to  their  works.  And  the  sea  gave  up 
the  dead  which  were  in  it;  and  death  and  hell 
delivered  up  the  dead  which  were  in  them : 
and  they  were  judged,  every  man  according  to 
their  works."  Nothing  can  be  more  terribly 
sublime  than  this  description.  Notice — "  And 
I  saw  a  great  white  throne,  and  him  that  sat 
upon  it,  from  whose  face  the  earth  and  the 
heavens  fled  away;  and  there  was  found  no 
place  for  them."  Here  is  the  appearing  of  the 
final  Judge,  and,  as  an  effect,  the  vanishing 
away  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth !  As  the 
sun,  rising  in  peerless  brightness,  throws  its 
splendours  upon  the  world  slumbering  in  dark- 
ness, and  with  its  eff'ulgence  chases  away  the 
shades  of  night;  and  the  mists  of  the  morning — 
even  so,  at  the  coming  of  the  final  Judge,  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  substantial  as  they  are, 
shall  be  only  as  the  shades  of  the  night,  and 
the  mists  of  the  morning.  Smitten  by  the 
living  and  insufferable  eff'ulgence  of  his  glory, 
they  shall  vanish  away  as  the  shades  of  the 


204  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

night  and  the  mists  of  the  morning !  And  what, 
poor  sinner,  will  then  become  of  thee?  Ah, 
my  brethren,  believe  me,  the  day  of  judgment 
will  come.  It  is  no  fiction ;  it  is  a  great  Bible 
truth.  The  day  of  judgment  will  come,  and 
you  and  I  must  witness  all  its  dread  solemni- 
ties! — Aye,  and  then  that  sentence  shall  be 
pronounced  upon  us,  which  will  place  us  in 
heaven  or  in  hell !  which  will  number  us  with 
angels  of  light  or  spirits  damned  !  and,  O  !  re- 
member this  sentence  admits  of  no  reversal.  It 
will  be  registered  in  the  archives  of  heaven, 
and  registered  for  eternity !  Wo  !  wo  !  wo !  to 
those  not  prepared  for  the  judgment !  It  would 
have  been  better  for  them  had  they  never  been 
born.     But  my 

Fourth  remark  is  this : — Noah's  ark  may  be 
considered  as  a  type  of  Christ.  One  was  of 
divine  appointment,  and  so  is  the  other.  The 
one  was  the  only  refuge — the  only  means  of 
safety,  and  so  is  the  other.  All  who  w^ere  not 
in  the  ark  perished,  and  out  of  Christ  assuredly 
there  is  no  salvation.  "  There  is  salvation  in 
none  other,"  says  Peter.  "  Other  foundation," 
says  Paul,  "  can  no  man  lay  than  is  laid,  which 
is  Jesus  Christ."  And  what  says  John  the  Bap- 
tist? "He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  ever- 
lasting life ;  but  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son, 
shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wTath  of  God  abideth 
upon  him." 

According    to    the    Scriptures,   God   is,   in 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  205 

Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not 
imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them;  but  out 
of  Christ,  God  is  a  consuming  fire.  O,  my 
brethren,  believe  me,  the  judgment  is  coming! 
the  day  of  wrath  is  drawing  nigh,  and  verily 
"  None  but  Jesus  can  do  helpless  sinners  good." 
Let  it  sink  down  in  the  ears  of  all,  and  never 
be  forgotten,  that  when  God  arises  to  judgment, 
Christ)  our  blessed  Saviour,  is  the  sinner's  only 
hope  and  only  refuge ;  for  then  the  arrows  of 
vengeance  shall  fly  on  every  hand,  and  strike 
every  spot  not  protected  by  the  shield  of  a  Sa- 
viour's righteousness. 

When  the  deluge  came,  those  not  in  the  ark 
were,  no  doubt,  filled  with  strange  alarm,  and 
in  their  terror  sought  refuge,  some  in  one 
place  and  some  in  another.  Doubtless,  some 
ascended  the  tops  of  their  houses,  but  found  no 
safety  there !  Some  climbed  the  trees  of  the 
forest,  some  the  lofty  hills,  and  some  the  tower- 
ing mountains,  and  some,  too,  swam  around 
the  ark,  but  all  in  vain !  7vithin  the  ark  was 
peace,  within  was  safety;  but  witliout  was 
wTath  and  ruin,  desolation  and  death.  So  sin- 
ners may  seek  safety — some  in  one  thing  and 
some  in  another :  one  relying  upon  his  own 
righteousness,  and  another  upon  the  interces- 
sion of  the  saints — one  upon  his  prayers  and 
tears,  another  upon  his  numerous  and  splen- 
did charities — but  all  in  vain !  Absolutely, 
Christ  is   the   sinner's   only  refuge — the  sin- 


206  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

ner's  only  hope.  In  Christ  the  sinner  is  safe 
and  happy;  without  Christ,  lost  to  all  eter- 
nity. 

And  now,  these  things  being  so,  permit  me 
to  make  a  spiritual  and  practical  application  of 
the  subject: — "And  the  Lord  said  unto  Noah, 
Come  thou  and  all  thy  house  into  the  ark." 
If  there  be  an  unconverted  father  present,  to 
him  I  would  now  address  myself  with  earnest- 
ness and  affection.  0,  thou  who  art  the  head 
of  your  family — thou  upon  whose  arm  leans  an 
affectionate  wife,  and  around  whom  cluster  be- 
loved sons  and  daughters — come  into  the  ark ! 
You  ought  to  have  come  a  long  time  ago,  for, 
no  doubt,  since  you  have  had  a  family,  you 
have  received  many  calls  and  many  warnings. 
Where  is  that  beloved  Joseph  ?  that  dear  little 
Benjamin  ?  that  idol  of  your  affections  ?  Alas ! 
torn  from  your  fond  embrace  by  the  relentless 
hand  of  death,  that  loved  one  now  sleeps  in 
the  grave !  And  was  not  that  providence  which 
made  this  sad  breach  in  your  family  a  loud 
call  ?  And  perhaps  another  was  taken,  and  yet 
another !  But  it  may  be  you  have  had  a  call 
of  another  kind.  Some  of  your  household 
have  been  brought  into  the  fold  of  Christ. 
What !  shall  the  child  be  brought  in  and  the 
parent  left  out?  As  the  head  of  your  family, 
it  was  your  duty  to  "allure  to  brighter  worlds 
and  lead  the  way."  And  shall  you  linger  whilst 
your  own  children  are  pressing  in?     O,  come 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  207 

into  the  ark!  For  your  own  sake,  come  in,  for 
verily  the  responsibiUty  of  a  parent  is  great, 
and  most  fearful  must  be  the  reckoning  in  the 
day  of  judgment  for  those  heads  of  famiUes 
who  have  neglected  to  train  up  their  children 
in  the  way  in  which  they  should  go.  I  knew" 
an  unconverted  daughter  once,  who,  dying  in 
despair,  reproached  her  parents  upon  her  bed 
of  death  for  neglecting  her  precious  soul.  "  O 
my  father  and  my  mother,"  said  she,  ''you 
brought  me  up  to  nothing."  0,  how  terrible 
is  the  thought  of  sons  and  daughters  in  the 
world  laying  the  blame  of  their  damnation 
upon  their  ungodly  parents!  O,  venerated  fa- 
ther, listen  to  me.  O  thou,  who  art  the  head  of 
your  family,  and  king  of  your  household — I 
repeat  it — thou  upon  whose  arm  leans  an  affec- 
tionate wife,  and  around  whom  cluster  sons 
and  daughters,  who  respect  and  love  you,  come 
into  the  ark — come,  even  if  not  for  your  own 
sake,  yet  for  the  sake  of  those  who  are  bone  of 
your  bone,  and  flesh  of  your  flesh.  The  influ- 
ence of  parents  upon  their  children,  whether 
they  desire  it  or  not,  is  very  great.  If  parents 
are  prayerless  and  worldly-minded,  children 
are  likely  to  be  prayerless  and  worldly-minded 
too;  and  if  they  neglect  the  Bible  and  the  ordi- 
nances of  God's  house,  their  children  are  likely 
to  do  the  same. 

I  recollect  the  case  of  a  young  man  whose 
father  was  an  unconverted  man,  when  I  urged 


208  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

him  to  attend  to  the  great  concern — "  Sir,"  said 
he,  "  it  is  not  worth  while  to  speak  to  me  on 
that  subject,  my  father  is  not  a  Christian,  and 
I  don't  care  about  being  a  better  man  than  my 
father."     Ah!  me — those   children  whose  pa- 
rents are  not  pious  are  truly  to  be  pitied,  for 
their  prospects  for  heaven  are  dark  indeed. 
Some  years  since,  the  assertion  having  been 
made,  that  the  children  of  the  pious  were  no 
better  than  others,  an  investigation  was  made; 
and  the  families  within  a  certain  district  hav- 
ing been  divided  into  three  classes — those  in 
which  both  parents  were   professedly   pious, 
those  in  which  only  one  parent  was  a  profes- 
sor, and  those  in  which  neither  parent  made 
any  pretensions  to  religion — it  was  ascertained 
that  of  the  children  over  ten  years  of  age,  in 
the  first  class,  two-thirds  were  hopefully  pious, 
in  the  second  class,  about  one- third,  and  in  the 
third   class,    not  more    than   one-twelfth.     In 
comparing  the  first  and  third  classes,  it  was 
found  that,  of  one   hundred   and   twenty-five 
children  of  the  first  class,  where  both  parents 
professed  religion,  eighty-four  were  members 
of  some  church;  whilst,  of  one  hundred  and 
ninety-nine    children    of  the    third   class,   in 
which  neither  parent  professed  religion,  only 
fourteen   were    connected   with    any   church. 
This  speaks  volumes,  and  makes  a  most  pow- 
erful appeal  to  parents  on  the  score  of  their 
responsibility.     O !  if  the  venerated  father  who 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  209 

has  all  along-  neglected  the  great  salvation, 
should  now,  at  last,  make  a  move  toward  the 
cross  of  Christ — should  come  out,  and  take 
his  stand  openly  upon  the  Lord's  side,  what 
a  powerful,  what  a  thrilling  effect  it  would 
have  upon  all  the  members  of  the  family! 
The  beloved  parent  setting  out  for  heaven,  the 
children  are  not  willing  to  be  left  behind.  O  ! 
then,  thou  respected  and  most  responsible  head 
of  the  family,  come  into  the  ark  !  Yes,  come, 
and  come  not  alone;  bring  your  wife  along 
with  you.  What !  are  you  willing  to  be  sepa^ 
rated  from  your  bosom  companion  ?  and  sepa- 
rated for  ever?  Surely  you  cannot  bear  the 
thought — then  persuade  her  to  come  alone  with 
you;  and  will  you  not  bring  your  sons  also 
with  you?  are  they  not  all  dear  to  your  heart? 
and  which  will  you  consent  to  leave  out?  the 
eldest  or  the  youngest? — shall  it  be  Reuben, 
the  beginning  of  your  strength,  or  Benjamin, 
the  son  of  your  old  age?  And  your  daughters, 
too,  will  you  not  prevail  upon  them  also  to 
come  in  ?  they  love  you  much ;  cast  your  eye 
over  their  sweet  faces,  and  say  which  one  are 
you  willing  to  see  go  down  into  the  pit?  Is  it 
the  one  that  is  married,  or  the  one  that  is  at 
home?  is  it  Margaret,  or  is  it  Louisa?  is  it 
Mary,  or  your  dear  little  Susan  ?  O !  leave 
none  out — bring  them  all  into  the  ark.  Noah 
led  all  his  household  into  the  ark.  Why  should 
you  not  do  the  same  ?    0  !  how  happy  to  have 


210  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

a  family  united  on  earth,  and  unbroken  in  hea- 
ven !  I  recollect  seeing  once  the  picture  of  a 
resurrection  scene.  The  graves  were  open- 
ing— the  dead  arising ;  there  was  one  lovely 
group — a  family — a  whole  family !  father,  mo- 
ther, sons  and  daughters,  all  radiant  and  hap- 
py, ascending  to  the  skies  together.  Once 
more  then,  I  say  to  thee,  venerated  parent,  as 
the  Lord  said  unto  Noah,  "  Come  thou,  and 
all  thy  house,  into  the  ark."  Come,  this  day. 
O !  should  you  now  make  a  move,  how  would 
it  rouse  those  around  you,  and  especially  your 
own  sons  and  daughters.  Young  man,  young 
maiden,  am  I  wrong  ?  Should  that  dear  and 
venerated  father  of  yours  come  out,  and  con- 
fess Christ  before  the  world,  w^ould  you  be  in- 
different to  your  own  soul's  salvation  ?  Here 
then,  beloved  parent,  is  a  powerful  appeal  to 
the  best  feelings  of  your  nature;  here  is  a 
strong  motive,  a  double  motive,  nay,  a  motive 
multiplied  according  to  the  number  of  your 
children.  0 !  come  then,  "  come  thou,  and  all 
thy  house,  into  the  ark." 

But  perhaps  the  parents  are  already  in  the 
ark,  and  the  children  are  not,  or  at  least  some 
of  them.  O,  ye  children  of  pious  parents — ye 
children  of  the  covenant — you  upon  whom  bap- 
tismal water  has  been  poured — your  parents 
are  in  the  ark,  why  linger  you  without?  Your 
parents  are  going  to  heaven — why  should  you 
not  go  along  with  them?     Are  you  willing  to 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  211 

be  separated  in  the  great  day?  How  can  you 
bear  the  thought  of  seeing  them  on  the  right 
hand  of  the  Judge,  w^hilst  you  are  placed  on 
the  left?  Of  seeing  them  rising  and  shining 
with  angels  in  glory,  whilst  you  are  sinking 
down  deeper  and  deeper  in  the  dark  realms  of 
wo!  O,  it  seems  to  me  that  if  the  children  of 
the  pious  go  down  to  hell,  they  will  have  no 
common  damnation.  Their  peculiar  advanta- 
ges, and  then  that  terrible  separation  will  add 
much  to  their  pangs,  and  the  fearfulness  of 
their  doom.  Only  think!  suppose  one  of  No- 
ah's sons,  when  invited  by  his  father,  had  re- 
fused to  OTQ  with  him  into  the  ark — what  would 
have  been  his  feelino^s  when  the  deluo-e  came  ? 
Whilst  filled  with  alarm,  and  crying  out  in 
terror,  amid  the  dashing  of  the  billows  and  the 
roaring  of  the  storm,  would  he  not  have  looked 
toward  the  ark  in  special  agony,  and  ex- 
claimed— "  Yonder  is  the  ark,  safe  upon  the 
bosom  of  the  troubled  deep !  My  father  is 
there,  my  mother  is  there,  my  brothers  are 
there — all,  all  in  safety  there — and  I  am  lost! 
I  too  was  invited,  yea,  urged  to  enter  in  with 
them;  why  did  I  not?  O  my  folly!  my  mad- 
ness! I  have  brought  this  evil  upon  myself! 
Why  did  I  not  enter  in  ?  Why  did  I  not  enter 
in?  It  is  too  late  now!  O,  it  is  too  late  now!" 
My  dear  young  friends — ye  children  of  the 
covenant — ye  who  are  so  tenderly  beloved,  for 
whom  so  many  prayers  have  been  offered,  and 


212  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

over  whom  so  many  tears  have  been  shed  !  0 
be  persuaded  to  come  into  the  ark !  In  the 
great  and  dreadful  day  of  judgment  you  will 
need  a  Saviour;  O,  embrace  him  now.  Cast 
in  your  lot  with  your  pious  friends,  and  with 
them  be  safe  and  happy,  now  and  for  ever- 
more. 

May  the  God  of  heaven  touch  your  heart, 
and  incline  you  to  do  that  wdiich  you  will  wish 
you  had  done  in  that  day  which  shall  disclose 
"a  God  in  grandeur  and  a  world  on  fire." 


SERMON    VIII. 


WAR  IN  HEAVEN. 


Rev.  xii.  7,  8. — And  there  was  war  in  heaven  :  Michael  and  his  angels 
fought  against  the  dragon;  and  the  dragon  fought  and  his  angels, 
and  prevailed  not;  neither  was  their  place  found  any  more  in 
heaven. 

The  visions  of  John  in  the  Isle  of  Patmos,  are, 
in  general,  mysterious  and  sublime.  But,  al- 
though their  mystical  and  prophetic  import 
may  not  be  fully  understood,  they  may,  never- 
theless, suggest  many  useful  and  awakening 
thoughts.  The  passage  at  present  under  con- 
sideration is  not  entirely  free  from  difficulty; 
and  commentators  have  different  views  of  the 
subject.    Some  suppose  that  by  the  dragon,  we 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  213 

are  to  understand  the  Pagan  Roman  Empire; 
by  Michael,  the  Christian  Roman  Empire;  by 
Heaven,  the  throne  of  the  Roman  Emperors; 
and  by  the  war  in  heaven  is  meant  the  different 
and  opposite  counsels  of  Pagan  and  Christian 
Roman  Emperors.  Without  attempting  to 
settle  the  mystical  or  prophetic  import  of  the 
passage,  I  wish,  at  this  time,  to  consider  it  as 
pointing  to  an  event  which  literally  took  place 
in  heaven ;  an  event  most  memorable  indeed ; 
which  has  awakened  the  attention  of  the  uni- 
verse, changed  the  face  of  creation,  and  has 
been  productive  of  most  direful  consequences 
to  angels  and  to  men  :  I  mean  the  fall  of  rebel 
angels  in  heaven. 

My  brethren,  God  is  the  Creator  and  Sove- 
reign of  the  universe.  Millions  of  worlds  roll 
around  his  throne,  and  no  doubt,  all  are  in- 
habited by  intelligent  creatures.  Of  these  in- 
telligent beings,  only  two  orders  are  known 
to  us — angels  and  men ;  both,  originally  pure 
and  upright,  were,  according  to  the  Scriptures, 
placed  in  a  state  of  probation,  and  made  free 
to  stand,  yet  liable  to  fall.  The  angels  were 
first  created.  They  were  a  superior  order,  and 
were  to  stand  or  fall,  each  for  himself.  Man, 
to  stand  or  fall  in  his  federal  head.  Some  of 
the  angels,  called  elect,  kept  their  first  estate, 
and  were  confirmed  in  a  state  of  purity  and 
happiness;  others,  according  to  the  Scriptures, 
kept  not  their  first  estate.   They  sinned  and  fell. 


214  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

What  their  sin  was,  we  know  not,  for  the  Bible 
has  not  revealed  it.  It  is  no  matter.  Suffice 
it  for  us  to  know  that  they  sinned.  That  mo- 
ment the  g-olden  chain  of  love  which  bound 
them  to  the  throne  of  God,  was  broken  for 
ever!  They  assumed  the  character  of  sinners ; 
of  rebels  against  the  divine  majesty.  What 
daj*ing  acts  of  opposition  they  attempted,  we 
know  not ;  but  there  is  reason  to  believe,  that 
as  they  presumed  to  rebel  against  their  Maker, 
so  they  also  presumed,  openly  and  positively, 
to  resist  his  high  authority.  And,  doubtless, 
God  made  use  of  some  instruments  in  punish- 
ing them.  This  w^ould  be  in  perfect  harmony 
with  his  general  dealings  in  punishing  sin ;  for 
when  he  would  root  out  the  Canaanites  for 
their  impieties,  he  sent  against  them  Joshua 
and  the  tribes  of  Israel ;  and  when  he  would 
punish  the  Jews  for  their  rejection  of  the  Mes- 
siah, he  raised  up  against  them  Titus  and  the 
Roman  army.  Angels  too,  we  find,  have  been 
employed  in  services  of  a  similar  kind.  It  was 
an  angel,  you  recollect,  that  in  one  gloomy 
disastrous  night,  slew  all  the  first  born  in  the 
land  of  Egypt !  And  was  it  not  an  angel  also, 
who  entered  the  camp  of  Sennacherib,  and  in 
one  night  laid  low  in  death  one  hundred  and 
eighty-five  thousand  men  before  the  walls  of 
Jerusalem !  Why  then  may  we  not  suppose, 
that  when  the  apostate  spirits  were  driven  from 
heaven,  it  was  done  by  holy  angels,  led  on  by 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  215 

Michael  the  archangel?  So  that,  literally, 
"There  was  war  in  heaven:  Michael  and  his 
ancrels  foug^ht  afjainst  the  draoron;  and  the 
dragon  fought  and  his  angels,  and  prevailed 
not;  neither  was  their  place  found  any  more 
in  heaven."  My  brethren,  think  me  not  fan- 
ciful. I  have  not  selected  this  text  as  the 
groundwork  of  any  vain  speculations.  I  have 
no  wish  to  amuse  you  with  any  conceits  or 
imaginations  of  my  own.  The  subject  I  trust 
you  will  find  to  be  one  of  deep  and  solemn 
interest,  and  of  great  practical  importance.  I 
confess  I  like  the  subject,  because  it  serves  to 
present  vividly,  and  in  a  new  aspect,  some 
great  truths  which  are  too  little  thought  upon. 
We  wish  now, 

I.  To  consider  the  character  of  the  war  of 
rebel  angels  in  heaven,  and 

II.  To  compare  and  contrast  it  with  the  w^ar 
of  rebel  men  on  earth. 

I.  The  character  of  the  war  of  rebel  ano-els 
in  heaven.  It  has  several  features,  as  we  may 
gather  from  various  parts  of  the  sacred  Scrip- 
tures. 

First.  It  was  wilful,  I  mean  they  brouo-ht 
it  upon  themselves.  Certainly  they  came  from 
the  hands  of  their  Creator  pure  and  happy, 
and  if  originally  placed  in  a  state  of  probation, 
as  the  Bible  clearly  gives  us  to  understand, 
then  of  course,  they  must  have  been  free 
airents. 


216  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

"  Not  free,  what  proof  could  they  have  given  sincere 
Of  true  allegiance,  constant  faith  and  love, 
When  what  they  needs  must  do,  appeared 
Not  what  they  would.    What  praise  could  they  receive, 
What  pleasure,  God,  from  such  obedience  paid? 
When  will  and  reason,  of  freedom  both  despoiled, 
Made  passive  both,  had  served  Necessity, 
Not  God.     They  therefore  as  to  right  belonged, 
So  were  created." 

We  dare  not  say  that,  subsequently,  God  ex- 
erted any  positive  influence  upon  their  will, 
inclining  them  to  sin.  This  v^^ould  be  an  im- 
peachment of  the  goodness  of  God,  as  though 
he  took  pleasure  in  the  misery  of  his  creatures. 
It  would  impugn  his  wisdom,  as  though  he 
knew  not  at  first,  how  properly  to  create  these 
angels;  nay,  more,  it  would  arraign  his  jus- 
tice, for  had  he  done  it,  he  would  have  destroy- 
ed their  free  agency — he  would  have  changed 
their  original  constitution ;  and,  in  fact,  would 
have  been  the  author  of  their  sin !  No,  no ! 
they  were  made,  strictly  speaking,  free  agents, 
and  so  they  continued  until  their  fall.  But 
mark !  if  free  agents,  of  course,  whilst  free  to 
stand,  yet  liable  to  fall.  They  fell !  God  was 
not  the  author  of  their  fall.  No,  but  as  one 
well  expresses  it — they  fell  "  self-tempted,  self- 
depraved." 


' They  themselves  decreed 

Their  own  revolt:  not  God.     If  he  foreknew. 
Foreknowledge  had  no  influence  on  their  fault, 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  217 

Which  had  proved  no  less  certain,  unforeknown : 
So,  without  least  impulse,  or  shadow  of  fate, 
Or  aught  by  him,  immutably  foreseen, 
They  trespassed." 

This  view  of  the  matter,  falls  in  precisely 
with  the  language  of  the  Bible;  for  it  tells  us 
that  the  angels  sinned,  that  they  kept  not  their 
first  estate,  but  left  their  habitations;  all  of 
which  phrases  evidently  imply  a  voluntary, 
wilful  act  of  their  own.  But  this  wilful  apos- 
tasy on  the  part  of  rebel  angels  was  the  pro- 
curing cause  of  their  expulsion,  or  the  war  in 
heaven ;  therefore,  on  the  part  of  these  once  ex- 
alted, now  fallen  spirits,  it  was  a  wilful  war. 

Secondly.  It  was  an  irreconcilable  war — 
and  that,  both  on  the  part  of  God,  and  with  re- 
gard to  rebel  angels  also.  1.  It  is  irreconcila- 
ble on  the  part  of  God.  Let  us  for  a  moment 
look  at  the  state  of  the  case.  God  is  the  alone 
Monarch  of  all  worlds.  The  whole  creation  is 
his  empire,  and  all  intelligent  creatures  the 
rightful  subjects  of  his  moral  government. 
Now,  it  is  a  matter  of  the  last  importance,  that 
the  honours  of  the  divine  government  be  main- 
tained, and  that  no  attribute  of  God,  and  no 
law  which  he  has  framed  for  the  well-being  of 
his  creatures,  should  be  trampled  upon;  and 
if  trampled  upon,  not  only  does  the  justice  and 
the  honour  of  God,  but  the  tranquillity  and 
well-being  of  all  worlds  require  that  this  act, 
so  sinful  and  dangerous,  should  not  be  permit- 
15 


218  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

ted  to  pass  with  impunity.  Now,  when  an 
gels  sinned,  they  insulted  the  Divine  Majesty ; 
violated  the  laws  framed  for  the  well-being  of 
creation,  and  therefore  endangered  the  happi- 
ness of  all  worlds.  This  act  must  not  be  per- 
mitted to  pass  unpunished.  Ah !  my  brethren, 
if  we  could  only  understand  the  full  malignity 
of  sin — if  we  could  only  understand  the  great 
dishonour  it  brings  upon  God,  and  the  direful 
consequences  it  would  produce  throughout  all 
worlds  if  permitted  to  pass  with  impunity, 
we  would  immediately  perceive  that,  without 
some  effectual  plan,  devised  to  satisfy  the  law 
and  justice  of  God,  God  could  never  be  recon- 
ciled to  sinning  angels.  According  to  the 
Scriptures  no  plan  has  ever  been  devised,  nor 
ever  will  be:  hence,  the  fire  prepared  for  th6 
devil  and  his  angels  is  an  everlasting  fire. 
Moreover, 

2.  This  war  is  irreconcilable  on  the  part  of 
rebel  angels  also,  for  when  they  sinned,  that 
moment  their  natures  were  changed.  Their 
moral  powers  were  broken,  and  their  very  spi- 
rits poisoned.  Love,  once  triumphant,  was 
succeeded  by  hatred,  deadly  and  eternal  hatred. 
The  passions  of  the  soul,  and  the  affections  of 
the  heart,  which  once  so  sweetly  harmonized, 
were  thrown  into  disorder  and  became  as  jar- 
ring elements,  or  as  the  troubled  sea  that  can- 
not rest.  According  to  the  sacred  Scriptures, 
fallen  angels  have  no  tender  feelings — no  re- 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  219 

lenting  thoughts.     All  is  maUgnant  rancour, 
and  therefore, 

" Never  can  true  reconcilement  grow 


Where  wounds  of  deadly  hate  have  pierced  so  deep  ; 
Which  would  but  lead  them  to  a  worse  relapse, 
And  heavier  fall." 

To  this  hour  Satan,  or  as  he  is  here  termed, 
the  dragon,  and  his  angels,  are  as  much  op- 
posed to  their  Maker  as  they  ever  were.  And 
what  though  we  cannot  see  them  "  hurling  de- 
fiance to  the  vault  of  heaven,"  nor  hear  them 
blaspheming  the  God  of  heaven,  because  of 
their  pains,  yet  the  proof  thereof  is  seen  in  the 
faded  beauties  of  this  once  fair  creation,  and 
heard  in  the  groans  of  the  sick  and  the  dying. 
Satan,  vanquished  on  the  plains  of  heaven,  has, 
so  to  speak,  shifted  the  scene  of  warfare.  Ra- 
ging with  malice,  he  has  come  down  to  earth, 
here  to  continue  his  impious  struggle  against 
the  Most  High.  Long  has  he  been  striving  to 
blast  the  works  of  God,  and,  alas!  how  has  he 
succeeded  in  robbing  man  of  his  primeval  in- 
nocence, and  in  converting  a  blooming  Eden 
into  a  vale  of  tears  and  field  of  blood  !  Ever 
since  the  fall  of  man,  as  we  learn  from  the  sa- 
cred volume,  this  enemy  of  God  and  man  has 
been  going  about,  as  a  roaring  lion,  seeking 
whom  he  may  devour.  Rapid  as  lightning, 
and  insatiable  as  death,  he  stops  at  nothing. 


220  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

Lowerino-  clouds  of  wrath  alarm  him  not; 
quenchless  fires  of  vengeance  impede  him  not. 
It  is  his  purpose,  if  he  can,  to  defeat  the  coun- 
sels of  his  Maker,  and  send  the  ploughshare  of 
ruin  over  all  the  worlvs  of  God.  Having  suc- 
ceeded in  tempting  our  first  parents,  he  pre- 
sumed to  tempt  the  Messiah  himself,  God's 
Eternal  Son !  Signally  defeated  by  him,  he 
still  continues  to  stir  up  v^^ar  against  the  rem- 
nant of  his  seed.  This  is  no  fiction.  You  re- 
collect the  language  of  our  Saviour — "  Simon, 
Simon,  Satan  hath  desired  to  have  thee,  that 
he  might  sift  thee  as  wheat:"  and  the  apostle 
John,  in  reference  to  the  period  immediately 
preceding  the  millennium,  says: — "And  I 
heard  a  loud  voice  saying  in  heaven,  Now  is 
come  salvation,  and  strength,  and  the  kingdom 
of  our  God,  and  the  power  of  his  Christ:  for 
the  accuser  of  our  brethren  is  cast  down,  which 
accused  them  before  our  God  day  and  night." 
And  again  this  voice  is  uttered  in  heaven: 
"Wo  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth,  and  of  the 
sea !  for  the  devil  is  come  down  unto  you,  having 
great  wrath,  because  he  knoweth  that  he  hath 
but  a  short  time."  Rev.  xii.  10.  12.  Hence  it 
appears  that  Satan  and  his  angels  continue 
their  opposition  to  their  Maker,  and  will  con- 
tinue it  until  the  winding  up  of  all  human 
events;  when,  as  we  are  expressly  told,  he 
shall  be  cast  into  the  bottomless  pit,  where  the 


-REVIVAL    SERMONS.  221 

beast  and  the  false  prophet  are,  and  shall  be 
tormented  day  and  night,  for  ever.  The  war, 
then,  is  absolutely  irreconcilable. 

3.  It  is  an  unreasonable  war — on  the  part 
of  rebel  angels  a  most  unreasonable  war.  It 
must  be,  for  God,  as  an  infinitely  wise  and 
good  Being,  could  have  given  no  just  cause 
or  occasion.  The  Bible  tells  us  that  God  is 
love.  This  is  indeed  his  memorial  from  all 
generations,  even  from  all  eternity;  and  even 
fallen  angels  cannot  deny  it — and  why?  God 
was  such  to  them  until  they  sinned.  Yes,  he 
brought  them  from  the  womb  of  non-existence. 
He  crowned  them  with  glory  and  honour; 
placed  them  near  his  throne,  and  made  them 
as  happy  as  their  natures  would  admit  of;  and 
yet,  they  kept  not  their  first  habitation — they 
rebelled ! 

"  Ah,  wherefore?  He  deserved  no  such  return 
From  them,  whom  he  created  what  they  were, 
In  that  bright  eminence;  and  with  his  good 
Upbraided  none  !  Nor  was  his  service  hard ; 
What  could  be  less,  than  pay  him  thanks? 
How  due!" 

Why,  then,  did  they  rebel?  Was  there  any 
thing  in  the  character  of  God  which  they  could 
impeach  ?  Certainly  not,  for  it  was  absolutely 
perfect.  Was  there  any  thing  in  his  goveiii- 
ment  which  they  could  condemn?  By  no 
means ;  for  it  is  founded  on  the  principles  of 
infinite  wisdom  and  eternal  rectitude.     Well, 


222  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

was  there  any  thing  in  their  own  circumstances 
which  could  reasonably  create  discontent?  0 
no,  for  they  were  in  heaven,  and  their  cup  of 
bliss  was  overflowing.  Why  then  did  they 
rebel?  Although  we  know  what  tempted 
them,  yet,  in  the  very  nature  of  the  case,  it  is 
evident  that  the  war  which  they  waged  against 
their  Maker  was  without  cause,  and  therefore 
unreasonable.  It  was  a  war  of  ingratitude,  of 
folly,  of  madness: — was  a  war  against  duty, 
against  interest,  against  happiness  itself:  a 
war,  in  short,  for  which  not  only  the  justice 
of  God  must  for  ever  condemn  them,  but  the 
voice  of  reason,  and  the  voice  of  the  whole 
intelligent  creation.  Certainly,  then,  it  was  an 
unreasonable  war. 

Lastly:  It  was  to  rebel  angels  a  most  fatal 
and  disastrous  war.  They  gained  nothing,  but 
lost  much.  1.  They  lost  the  favour  of  God, 
even  that  favour  which  is  life,  and  that  loving- 
kindness  which  is  better  than  life.  This  they 
once  enjoyed  in  plenitude  and  perfection;  but 
noAv  it  is  lost  for  ever !  Never  more  shall  they 
be  permitted  to  come  into  the  peaceful  presence 
of  their  Maker!  Never  more  share  in  the  light 
of  his  countenance,  or  any  tokens  of  his  love ! 
Nay  more;  having  forfeited  his  favour,  they 
must  endure  his  withering  frowns  for  ever! 
2.  They  lost  their  own  moral  loveliness.  Once, 
in  the  image  of  God,  they  were  pure  and  lovely 
indeed !    Every  celestial  virtue,  every  heavenly 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  223 

grace  vra.s  upon  them.  They  were  fairer  than 
the  roses  of  paradise,  lovelier  than  the  stars  of 
the  morning.  But,  alas!  when  they  sinned, 
all  was  changed.  No  longer  innocent,  they 
became  hateful;  no  longer  the  sons  of  God, 
they  became  demons  of  the  pit.  3.  They  lost, 
moreover,  their  seats  in  heaven !  0  those  sweet, 
those  happy  fields,  where  joy  for  ever  reigns ! 
To  rebel  angels  they  are  lost  for  ever !  Their 
seats  are  vacant  now ;  their  harps  are  thrown 
away,  and  "their  place  shall  be  found  no  more 
in  heaven!"  No  more  shall  they  mingle  with 
the  blessed ;  nor  sweep  their  melodious  strings ; 
nor  chant  their  heavenly  songs.  No  more  shall 
they  climb  the  heights  of  bliss ;  nor  range  the 
fields  of  glory ;  nor  dwell  in  the  sweet  vales  of 
heaven!  For  their  horrid  guilt,  they  are  in 
everlasting  exile  from  that  happy  world !  cast 
down  to  hell — and  what  kind  of  a  place  is  that  ? 
a  pit  that  has  no  bottom — a  lake  burning  with 
fire  and  brimstone — 

"  A  dungeon,  horrible  on  all  sides  round, 
As  one  great  furnace  flames !  yet  from  those  flames, 
No  light !  but  rather  darkness  visible  ! 
Which  serves  only  to  discover  sights  of  wo. 
Regions  of  sorrow,  doleful  shades,  where  peace 
And  rest  can  never  dwell,  hope  never  comes!" 

My  brethren,  believe  me,  or  rather  believe  the 
sacred  volume,  it  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into 
the  hands  of  the  livinor  God.  The  rebel  angrels, 
in  sinning  against  God,  gained  nothing  but  lost 


224  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

imich !  And  so  must  it  be  with  all  who  dare 
rebel  against  their  Maker,  and  who  with  the 
Great  Eternal  provoke  unequal  war.  But  this 
leads  us 

II.  To  compare  and  contrast  the  war  of  rebel 
angels  in  heaven,  with  the  war  of  rebel  men  on 
earth ;  and,  for  this  purpose  chiefly,  have  I  se- 
lected the  passage  of  Scripture  now  before  us. 
The  dragon  and  his  angels  gained  no  victories 
in  heaven ;  but,  shall  I  say  it  ?  they  have  suc- 
ceeded in  gaining  allies  on  earth !  Yes,  the  hu- 
man race,  seduced  from  their  allegiance  by  the 
great  tempter,  have  made  common  cause  with 
fallen  angels,  and  are  now  in  arms  against  the 
everlasting  God !  Yes,  awful  and  melancholy 
as  the  thought  is,  it  is  even  so !  Satan  has  suc- 
ceeded in  pouring  much  of  his  venom  into  the 
human  heart!  and  multitudes  of  the  human 
family  are  now  ranged  with  him  under  the 
banner  of  revolt!  Not  all!  No!  blessed  be 
God,  some,  sweetly  subdued  by  heavenly  grace, 
have  laid  down  the  weapons  of  their  rebel- 
lion. Through  the  interposition  of  the  great 
Redeemer,  and  the  powerful  energies  of  the 
divine  spirit,  they  have  made  their  peace  with 
God ;  and  now,  ranged  under  his  banner,  they 
are  the  willing  subjects  of  his  moral  govern- 
ment. But  the  multitude,  the  great  mass  of 
the  human  family,  sorry  am  I  to  say,  this  mo- 
ment, leagued  with  the  dragon  and  his  angels, 
are  fighting  against  the  God  who  made  them. 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  225 

Do  you  demand  proof?  Look  around  you,  and 
see  how  many  are  enemies  to  God  by  wicked 
works — how  many  profane  his  sabbaths !  how 
many  blaspheme  his  holy  name !  how  many 
slight  his  word !  how  many  reject  the  Son  of 
his  love !  how  many  indulge  in  riot  and  de- 
bauchery !  how  many  in  theft  and  murder ! 
Ah !  my  brethren,  the  fact  is  but  too  evident — 
the  world  lies  in  wickedness.  It  is  now,  and 
ever  since  the  fall  has  been,  a  rebellious 
province  of  Jehovah's  dominions.  I  have 
nourished  and  brought  up  children,  says  God, 
and  they  have  rebelled  against  me.  And  does 
not  the  apostle  Paul  affirm  that  the  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  against  God  ?  and  does  he  not 
address  the  unrenewed  as  those  arrayed  against 
their  Maker.  Notice  his  language:  "Now 
then,  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though 
God  did  beseech  you  by  us,  we  pray  you  in 
Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  The 
case  is  clear — all  unregenerate  sinners — (and 
do  they  not  constitute  the  mass  of  the  human 
family  ?) — are  in  a  state  of  open  opposition  aiid 
downright  rebellion  against  their  Maker !  0  it 
is  an  impious  contest,  a  most  unholy  war !  But 
we  promised  to  compare  and  contrast  the  war 
of  rebel  men  on  earth,  with  that  of  rebel  angels 
in  heaven.  In  many  things  the  resemblance 
is  most  exact  and  striking ;  in  only  one  thing 
is  there  a  difference. 

First.    Was  the  war  of  rebel  angels  a  wilful 


226  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

war  ?  So  also  is  the  war  of  rebel  men.  It  is 
true  the  original  dispensations  to  angels  and  to 
men  were  not  the  same.  The  former  stood  or 
fell,  each  for  himself:  the  latter  in  their  fede- 
ral head,  Adam,  the  head  and  representative 
of  his  race,  broke  covenant  with  God — wilful- 
ly sinned,  and  thus,  so  to  speak,  in  his  own 
name  and  that  of  all  his  posterity,  declared 
war  against  his  Maker,  as  a  sovereign  acting 
in  behalf  of  the  people  whom  he  represents. 
"  By  one  man's  disobedience,"  says  the  Apos- 
tle, "were  many  made  sinners" — that  is,  the 
act  of  Adam,  in  breaking  covenant  with  God, 
was  reckoned  as  the  act  of  his  posterity;  in 
proof  of  this  position,  we  find  the  consequences 
of  the  fall  extending  to  the  whole  human  fami- 
ly. But  there  is  another  view  of  the  matter. 
All  mankind,  it  is  true,  by  virtue  of  their  con- 
nexion with  Adam,  as  their  federal  head,  are, 
equally  with  him,  involved  in  the  ruins  of  the 
fall;  but  infinite  wisdom  and  love  have  plan- 
ned and  executed  a  scheme,  by  which  the 
ruins  of  the  fall  may  be  restored,  and  man  may 
again  be  brought  into  favour  with  his  Maker. 
Our  blessed  Saviour  having,  by  his  death  and 
sufferings,  made  the  great  atonement,  the  gos- 
pel of  peace  and  reconciliation  is  preached, 
and  all  who  will,  are  invited  to  come  through 
the  Mediator,  and  obtain  peace  with  their 
offended  Maker,  and  even  everlasting  life, 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     Now,  those 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  227 

who  refuse  and  reject  the  overtures  of  mercy, 
do  evidently  continue  in  wilful  rebellion,  and 
in  this  way  do,  deliberately,  to  all  intents  and 
purposes,  sanction  the  act  of  their  federal  head, 
and  make  it  their  own !  and,  that  they  are 
wilful  in  this  matter,  is  evident  from  many 
passages  of  Scripture,  especially  from  the  lan- 
guage of  our  Saviour,  "  Ye  will  not  come  unto 
me  that  ye  might  have  life."  Ah!  my  bre- 
thren, it  is  even  so.  God  calls,  but  sinners 
will  not  hear.  He  stretches  out  his  hand,  but 
sinners  will  not  regard.  He  offers  them  mercy, 
on  gospel  terms,  and  repeatedly  offers  it,  but 
they  wilfully  reject  it;  and,  by  their  conduct, 
daringly  say,  with  Pharaoh,  "  Who  is  the 
Lord  that  we  should  obey  him  ?  we  know  not 
the  Lord,  neither  will  we  obey  his  voice." 
And  what  is  this  but  wilful  rebellion?  Besides, 
oftentimes  the  Spirit  of  God  moves  upon  the 
heart  of  the  sinner,  but  the  sinner  braces  him- 
self up  against  these  divine  influences;  and 
the  charge  brought  by  Stephen  against  certain 
Jew^s  in  his  day,  may  with  but  too  much  pro- 
priety be  brought  against  many  of  the  uncon- 
verted at  the  present  time — "  Ye  uneircum- 
cised  in  heart  and  ears,  ye  do  always  resist  the 
Holy  Ghost,  as  your  fathers  did,  so  do  ye."  In 
other  words',  in  resisting  the  strivings  of  the 
Divine  Spirit,  and  wilfully  stifling  their  con- 
victions, they  fight  against  God,  and  there  is  a 


228  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

wilfulness  in  this  matter  which  adds  greatly  to 
their  sin. 

Secondly.  "Was  the  war  of  rebel  angels  an 
irreconcilable  war?  Thank  God,  here  we  can 
drop  the  comparison,  and  take  up  the  contrast.- 
Yes,  on  this  theatre  of  war,  in  the  midst  of 
heaven-daring  rebels,  our  blessed  Redeemer 
has,  by  the  shedding  of  his  most  precious 
blood,  made  the  great  atonement.  Elevated 
upon  the  cross,  this  glorious  God-man  Media- 
tor has,  so  to  speak,  laid  one  hand  upon  divi- 
nity and  the  other  upon  humanity,  and  in  this 
way,  has  accomplished  a  blessed  work  of  love 
and  reconciliation — has  thus  opened  up  a  way, 
whereby  God  can  be  just,  and  yet  justify  the 
penitent  and  believing  sinner — the  sinner  who 
accepts  of  Christ  as  his  surety  and  only  hope, 
as  it  is  written,  "  Being  justified  by  faith,  we 
have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  And  again,  "  There  is  therefore  now, 
no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus,  who  walk,  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after 
the  Spirit."  Ah!  my  brethren,  had  the  bless- 
ed Jesus  not  interposed,  the  hope  of  heavenly 
grace  had  never  cheered  the  heart  of  man ! 
This  is  the  Good  Shepherd,  who,  when  he 
saw  a  hundred  worlds  rolling  around  his  Fa- 
ther's throne,  and  this  was  lost,  left  the  ninety- 
and-nine  in  the  wilderness  of  space,  and  came 
to  seek  and  to  save  this  lost  world! 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  229 

"  O  love  divine !  Harp,  lift  thy  voice  on  high  !  • 
Shout  angels  !  Shout  aloud  ye  sons  of  men, 
And  burn,  my  heart,  with  the  eternal  flame." 

Millions  of  the  human  family  have  already 
been  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his 
Son,  and  have  been  made  for  ever  happy  by 
redeeming  love;  and  millions  more,  drawn 
from  the  standard  of  revolt,  and  ranged  under 
the  banner  of  the  great  Redeemer,  shall  yet 
enter  the  dwellings  of  the  blest,  and  take  rank 
amongst  the  angels  of  God,  in  glory  everlast- 
ing. O  how  thanldul  should  w^e  be,  that  whilst 
the  war  of  rebel  angels  is  irreconcilable,  the 
war  of  rebel  men  may  be  brought  to  a  speedy 
and  happy  termination.  This  is  a  blessed 
truth,  and  I  love  to  present  it;  but  let  it  not 
be  forgotten,  that  the  period  of  possible  recon- 
ciliation is  a  limited  period.  In  this  world  sin- 
ners may  make  their  peace  with  God — but  in 
this  world  only.  When  death's  leaden  sceptre 
is  laid  upon  the  cold  bosom,  the  state  of  the 
sinner  is  fixed  forever!  Ever  after  there  is 
no  redemption,  there  is  no  hope ! 

.  "  There  are  no  acts  of  pardon  passed, 
In  the  cold  grave  to  which  we  haste; 
Bu~t  darkness,  death,  and  long  despair, 
Reign  in  eternal  silence  there  !" 

0  how  important  is  it,  then,  that  every  one 
of  us  diligently  improve  our  day  of  grace  on 
earth;  and,  with  all  our  heart,  seek  salvation 


230  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

while  "  pardon  may  be  sought,  and  mercy  may 
be  found."     But, 

Thirdly.  Was  the  war  of  rebel  angels  an  un- 
reasonable war?  And  what  shall  we  say  of 
the  war  of  rebel  men?  O,  my  brethren,  how 
shall  we  vindicate  foolish,  infatuated  man? 
Angels  sinned  against  creating  goodness — man 
aofainst  redeeminof  love.  Angels  warred  under 
black  despair — man  imder  hope  of  heavenly 
grace.  The  sword  of  justice  pursued  revolting 
angels — the  wings  of  mercy  were  outstretched 
to  shelter  revolting  man.  And  yet  man  rebels! 
Infatuated  man !  what  would  he  have  ? — Rich- 
es? In  rejecting  the  grace  of  God  he  rejects  the 
true  riches.  Honour?  There  is  no  honour  like 
that  which  cometh  down  from  God  only. 
Safety?  Everlasting  arms  are  round  about 
them  who  put  their  trust  in  Israel's  God.  Hap- 
piness? And  where  can  happiness  be  found 
but  in  Him  who  is  the  only  true  source  and 
fountain  of  all  enjoyment  ?  And  yet  the  sinner 
rebels!  0  how  unreasonable!  In  rebelling 
against  God,  the  sinner  loses  much,  every  thing 
that  should  be  dear  and  precious  to  the  soul. 
And  what  does  he  gain?  Nothing!  literally 
nothing !  except  it  be  an  upbraiding  conscience, 
an  aching  heart,  and  a  burning  hell!  0,  how 
does  the  sinner  sin  against  his  own  judgment, 
his  own  interest,  and  his  own  happiness!  and 
moreover,  against  all  motives  and  considera- 
tions which  should  affect  him.     He  knows  that 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  231 

the  way  of  transgressors  is  hard,  and  yet  he 
sins  on !  He  knows  that  his  sins  will  find  him 
out,  and  yet  he  sins  on!  He  knows  that  the 
arm  of  God  is  powerful,  and  cannot  he  resisted, 
and  yet  he  sins  on!  He  knows  that  there 
is  forgiveness  for  the  penitent  and  yet  he  sins 
on.  And  that  certain  damnation  awaits  the 
impenitent,  and  yet  he  sins  on !  Infatuated 
man!  In  the  view  of  all  the  glories  of  the 
heavenly  world — in  view  of  all  the  horrors 
of  the  world  of  wo,  and,  moreover,  in  view 
of  all  the  love  of  God,  and  all  the  agonies 
of  a  dying  Saviour — in  short,  in  view  of  every 
thing  calculated  to  subdue  and  melt  the  heart, 
he  sins  on!  Be  astonished,  O  heavens!  and  0 
earth !  earth !  earth !  hear  the  complaint  of  the 
Eternal  God — "I  have  nourished  and  brought 
up  children,  and  they  have  rebelled  against 
me."    But, 

Fourthly.  Was  the  war  of  rebel  angels  fatal 
and  disastrous?  So  also,  most  assuredly,  will 
be  the  continued  war  of  rebel  men.  Millions 
have  already  fallen  in  the  impious  contest,  and 
shall  rise  no  more.  My  friends,  God  is  a  God 
of  power.  His  throne  is  in  the  heavens,  and 
his  kino^dom  ruleth  over  all.  There  are  none 
that  can  measure  swords  with  him,  nor  snatch 
the  sceptre  from  his  hand,  nor  resist  the  power 
of  his  arm!  He  need  only  speak,  and  worlds 
on  worlds  would  roll  from  his  creative  hand! 
He  need  only  will  it,  and  all  would  again  sink 


232  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

in  fiery  ruins!.  It  is  true,  according  to  the 
Psalmist — "The  kings  of  the  earth  set  them- 
selves, and  the  rulers  take  counsel  together 
against  the  Lord,  and  against  his  anointed,  say- 
ing. Let  us  break  their  bands  asunder,  and 
cast  away  their  cords  from  us."  Shall  they 
succeed?  Shall  they  prevail ?  What  says  the 
Psalmist  again? — "He  that  sitteth  in  the  hea- 
vens shall  laugh.  The  Lord  shall  have  them 
in  derision.  He  shall  break  them  with  a  rod 
of  iron !  he  shall  dash  them  in  pieces,  like  a 
potter's  vessel."  O,  when  God  shall  arise  to 
judge  the  earth,  what  a  day  will  that  be ! 
Great  day  of  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb ! 
0,  how  will  sinners  then  quail!  how  will  every 
rebel's  face  gather  blackness!  For  God  will 
come  to  reckon  with  sinners  then,  and  terrible 
will  be  the  manner  of  his  comino^.  Liffhtninors 
shall  flash  from  his  piercing  eyes — thunders 
shall  roll  around  his  awful  throne!  Yea,  he 
shall  come  with  his  chariots,  like  a  whirlwind, 
to  render  his  anger  with  fury,  and  his  rebukes 
with  flames  of  fire;  and  most  fearful,  indeed, 
will  be  the  condition  of  those  who  shall  then, 
as  sinners,  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living 
God.  They  will  call  upon  the  rocks  and  the 
mountains  to  fall  upon  them !  They  will 
shriek  in  agony !  They  will  wish  they  had 
never  been  born,  or  had  slumbered  for  ever  in 
the  silent  grave.  0,  my  fellow  sinner,  think 
upon  this  matter  now,    before  it  be  for  ever 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  233 

too  late.  You  are  now  contending  against 
your  Maker;  you  have  taken  sides  vi^ith  the 
dragon  and  his  angels ;  you  are  this  moment 
ranged  under  the  black  banner  of  Apollyon! 
and,  if  the  war  of  rebel  angels  was,  to  rebel 
angels,  fatal  and  disastrous,  so  also  must  be  the 
impious  struggle  in  which  you  are  engaged,  if 
continued  in — "For,"  says  the  Scripture, 
"  who  ever  hardened  himself  against  him  and 
prospered  ?"  Yea,  when  God  enters  into  judg- 
ment, he  will  overcome;  yea,  verily,  the  tri- 
umphs of  Jehovah  must  ever  be  glorious  to 
himself,  but  terrible  to  the  workers  of  iniquity. 
My  brethren,  our  text  this  morning  is  an  in- 
teresting one;  and,  viewed  in  the  application 
which  we  have  made  of  it,  it  is  to  us  of  deep 
personal  interest  and  importance.  "  There  was 
war  in  heaven :  Michael  and  his  angels  fought 
against  the  dragon ;  and  the  dragon  fought,  and 
his  angels,  and  prevailed  not;  neither  was  their 
place  found  any  more  in  heaven."  Remember, 
the  scene  is  changed,  but  the  war  is  not  ended 
yet.  Yes,  here !  here  on  this  globe  of  ours,  the 
warfare  is  going  on  still !  for,  according  to  the 
.Scriptures,  Satan,  fallen  from  heaven,  has  come 
down  to  earth !  Here  he  has  planted  his  stand- 
ard, and,  alas!  man  has  madly  taken  sides  with 
this  fallen  spirit.  This  is  the  great  battle  field 
of  the  universe.  Many  eyes  are  looking  on, 
and  here  must  the  battle  be  fought,  and  here 
brought  to  a  final  close.     Is  the  result  doubt- 

16 


234  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

ful  ?  No !  assuredly — for,  can  an  atom  contend 
against  a  mountain  ?  or  can  the  chaff  resist  the 
sweeping  whirlwind?— no  more  can  the  sinner 
contend  against  his  Maker.  War  in  any  form, 
and  against  any  power,  is  a  terrible  thing ;  and 
according  to  the  might  of  the  enemy  is  the  ter- 
ror of  the  conflict.  Valour  reigned  in  the  bosom 
of  Leonidas  and  his  Spartan  band;  yet,  me- 
thinks,  brave  and  heroic  as  they  were,  they 
must  have  quailed  before  the  mighty  power  of 
a  Xerxes.  Valour  reigned  in  the  bosom  of  our 
Washington  and  his  associate  heroes,  and  yet, 
no  doubt,  even  they  felt  awful  in  the  prospect 
of  meeting  the  power  of  England  upon  the 
tented  field.  But  what  is  the  power  of  a 
Xerxes,  or  the  power  of  England,  in  compari- 
son with  the  power  of  the  great  God,  who  can 
^'  dash  whole  worlds  to  death,  and  make  them 
when  he  please?"  Those  who  array  them- 
selves against  an  earthly  power,  however  for- 
midable that  power  may  appear,  may  neverthe- 
less succeed;  but  there  is  no  succeedinor  aofainst 
Omnipotence.  God  must  be  victorious,  and  all 
his  enemies  must,  and  will  be  subdued !  But 
even  suppose  the  patriot  soldier  knows  that  he 
must  fall  before  his  enemy,  and  perish  on  the 
field  of  battle ;  yet,  if  his  cause  is  a  good  one, 
this  animates  him,  and  he  can  say,  "  Dulce  et 
decorum  est,  pro  patria  mori."  It  is  sweet  and 
glorious  to  die  for  one's  country  ! — How  sleep 
the  brave !  How  delightful  to  have  our  memory 


REVIVAL   SERMONS.  235 

embalmed  in  the  hearts  of  our  grateful  country- 
men ! — but  there  is  no  such  consolation  for  the 
sinner,  who,  ranged  under  the  black  banner  of 
Apollyon,  is  engaged  in  a  cause  which  his  own 
reason  now  condemns ;  and  perishing,  he  will 
have  nothing  to  console  him  in  a  dying  hour, 
nor  through  all  the  ages  of  a  gloomy  and  un- 
blest  eternity.  O,  sinner!  sinner!  you  are 
fighting  against  your  own  interest,  your  own 
happiness!  You  have  taken  sides  with  the 
dragon  and  his  angels — you  are  fighting  with 
fiends — against  your  own  soul,  and  against  the 
God  who  made  you!  O  be  entreated.  This 
day  lay  dow^n  the  weapons  of  your  rebellion — 
this  day  change  sides — make  your  peace  with 
your  Maker,  and  when  your  life  on  earth  is 
ended,  you  shall  have  a  place  in  heaven,  and 
there  be  happy  for  ever. 


SERMON  IX. 

ON    SEEKING    THE    LORD. 

Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found,  call  ye  upon  him  while 
he  is  near. — Isaiah  Iv.  6. 

My  brethren,  if  a  man  wants  wealth,  he  seeks 
it;  if  he  desires  fame,  he  seeks  it;  if  he  has 
set  his  heart  upon  the  attainment  of  any  tem- 
poral object,  which  he  deems  important,   he 


236  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

makes  a  diligent  use  of  the  proper  means  for 
the  attainment  of  that  object.  This  principle 
is  correct ;  and  upon  it  is  based  the  words  of 
our  text: — "  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be 
found,  call  ye  upon  him  while  he  is  near." 
David  said,  "  When  thou  saidst,  Seek  ye  my 
face,  my  heart  said  unto  thee,  thy  face,  Lord, 
will  I  seek."  Hezekiah  was  commended  be- 
cause he  sought  the  Lord  with  all  his  heart; 
and  Josiah,  because  he  sought  the  Lord  whilst 
he  was  young.  The  direction  in  our  text  is  a 
standing  one: — "Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he 
may  be  found,  call  ye  upon  him  while  he  is 
near."  Some  persons  are  ready  to  say,  "  You 
ministers  of  the  gospel  are  frequently  urging 
us  to  attend  to  the  great  concern,  and  warning 
us  of  the  danger  of  dying  in  our  sins,  but  why 
do  you  not  pour  a  little  light  upon  the  subject? 
Why  do  you  not  tell  us  plainly  what  we  are 
to  do?"  Well,  now,  if  I  tell  you  what  is  to  be 
done,  will  you  attend  to  it?  If  I  mark  out  the 
way  to  heaven,  will  you  walk  in  it?  Then 
listen!  If  you  w^ould  be  saved,  you  must  seek 
the  Lord,  and  if  you  would  do  this  successful- 
ly, there  are  three  things  which  must  be  done  : 
You  must  take  Jesus  Christ  for  your  way; 
the  Divine  Spirit  for  your  helper ;  and  the 
sacred  volume  for  your  guide.  To  be  sure,  I 
might  say  to  the  serious  inquirer,  as  Paul  did 
to  the  Philipian  jailor,  "  Believe  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved:"  or,  as 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  237 

Peter  did  to  certain  Jerusalem  sinners,  when 
awakened,  "  Repent  ye,  therefore,  and  be  con- 
verted, that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out, 
when  the  times  of  refreshing  shall  come  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord."  But  you  wish  me 
to  be  more  extended  in  my  remarks,  then 
let  me  call  your  attention  to  the  three  things 
stated. 

1.  You  are  to  take  Jesus  Christ  as  your 
way ;  and  for  this  we  have  his  own  authority, 
as  he  expressly  says,  "  I  am  the  way,  the 
truth,  and  the  life,"  (or,  as  it  may  be  rendered, 
"the  true  and  living  way,")  "and  no  man 
Cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me."  In  the 
economy  of  redemption  Jesus  Christ  is  "all 
and  in  all."  He  is  our  only  Advocate  and  Me- 
diator. In  him  God  is  reconciling  the  world 
unto  himself,  not  imputing  to  them  their  ini- 
quities; but,  out  of  Christ,  God  is  a  consum- 
ing fire.  Those  who  are  accepted,  are  accept- 
ed in  the  Beloved,  and  those  who  are  not 
accepted  in  the  Beloved,  are  not  accepted  at 
all,  as  it  is  written,  "  Other  foundation  can  no 
man  lay  than  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ." 
This  is  all  very  plain,  and  this  in  substance,  is 
taught  by  every  true  minister  of  Christ,  on 
every  Sabbath  day,  and  yet  many  persons, 
when  awakened,  and  when  stirred  up  to  seek 
the  salvation  of  their  souls,  make  an  error  at 
the  very  outset.  They  go  to  God  the  Father 
without  having  any  reference  to  Christ,  as  the 


238  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

appointed  Mediator.  Now,  this  will  not  an- 
swer, for  the  Saviour  says  expressly,  in  lan- 
guage" already  recited,  "  I  am  the  way,  the 
truth,  and  the  life,  and  no  man  cometh  unto 
the  Father,  but  by  me."  There  was  corn  in 
Egypt  when  the  famine  prevailed,  and  when 
those  who  needed  corn  came  to  Pharaoh,  he 
said  unto  them,  Go  to  Joseph,  I  have  made 
him.  Lord  over  all  Egypt,  therefore  go^  to 
Joseph.  Should  they  neglect  this  direction, 
and  come  to  Pharaoh  the  second  time,  me- 
thinks  he  would  say.  Did  I  not  tell  you  to  go 
to  Joseph?  he  is  appointed  over  this  matter. 
Go  to  Joseph !  Should  they  come  to  Pharaoh 
the  third  time,  without  regarding  his  direction, 
methinks  he  would  say.  Leave  my  kingdom 
instantly! — no  man  who  will  not  submit  to 
the  law  of  the  realm  shall  receive  supplies. 
Leave  my  kingdom  without  delay !  Even  so 
in  this  matter.  Christ  is  Lord  of  all,  and 
without  him  there  is  no  salvation,  and  there 
is  m)  hope.  But  again;  some  persons  setting 
out  to  seek  the  salvation  of  their  souls  make 
another  blunder.  Instead  of  comins:  to  Christ 
in  the  exercise  of  love,  and  an  appropriating 
faith,  they  go  to  their  duties.  They  think  that 
they  are  not  good  enough  to  come  to  Christ 
yet,  and  therefore  they  purpose  to  make  them- 
selves a  little  better  first;  just  like  those  of 
whom  Paul  speaks,  who,  "  being  ignorant  of 
God's  righteousness,  and  going  about  to  estab- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  239 

lish  their  own  righteousness,  have  not  submit- 
ted themselves  unto  the  righteousness  of  God." 
Rom.  X.  3.  And  why  this?  Because  this  great 
doctrine  is  forgotten,  or  not  properly  under- 
stood, that  "  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for 
righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth;" 
and,  as  the  Apostle  teaches  in  another  place, 
that  '•  a  man  is  justified  by  faith  without  the 
deeds  of  the  law."  Rom.  iii.  28.  My  brethren, 
I  repeat  it,  in  the  economy  of  redemption 
Christ  is  all  in  all.  This  must  be  clearly  un- 
derstood and  acted  upon,  by  all  who  w'ould 
seek  the  Lord  and  find  him  in  the  salvation  of 
their  souls.  The  language  of  the  poet  is  both 
beautiful  and  correct : 

"  Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul, 

Let  me  to  thy  bosom  fly, 
While  the  raging  billows  roll. 

While  the  tempest  slill  is  high. 
Hide  me,  O  my  Saviour  hide, 

'Till  the  storm  of  life  is  past, 
Safe  into  the  haven  guide, 

O  receive  my  soul  at  last. 

Other  refuge  have  I  none  ! 

Hangs  my  helpless  soul  on  thee ; 
Leave,  ah  !  leave  me  not  alone. 

Still  support  and  comfort  me. 
AH  my  trust  on  thee  is  staid, 

All  my  help  from  thee  I  bring. 
Cover  my  defenceless  head 

With  the  shadow  of  thy  wing." 

2.  You  must  take  the  Divine  Spirit  as  your 


240  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

helper. — Even  if  the  sinner  were  pardoned  by 
virtue  of  the  redemption  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus,  there  is  still  an  inward  work  of  grace 
and  sanctification  to  be  accomplished,  to  fit 
him  for  heaven.  And,  as  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
said  unto  Elijah,  "arise  and  eat,  because  the 
journey  is  too  great  for  thee,"  so  may  we  say 
to  the  awakened  sinner,  who  asks  what  he  must 
do  to  be  saved — Arise  and  seek  divine  aid  for 
the  work  is  too  great  for  thee. — For  example, 
the  sinner's  heart  is  to  be  changed.  As  it  is 
written,  "0  Jerusalem,  wash  thy  heart  from 
wickedness  that  thou  mayst  be  saved !"  Jer. 
iv.  14.  And  again  :  "  Make  you  a  new  heart, 
and  a  new  spirit :  for  why  will  ye 'die,  O  house 
of  Israel?"  Ezek.  xviii.  31.  Now  the  sinner,  of 
himself,  can  no  more  accomplish  this  great 
work  than  he  can  roll  a  mountain,  or  heave  an 
ocean!  What  then?  Shall  he  say,  I  cannot 
accomplish  the  work.  It  is  the  work  of  the 
Spirit.  His  influences  are  absolutely  neces- 
sary— I  will  leave  it  to  the  Spirit— ^-and  I  will 
do  nothing.  Shall  he  say  this  ?  Certainly  not. 
The  showers  of  heaven  we  all  know  are  ab- 
solutely necessary  to  the  production  of  a  crop. 
Planters !  if  God  should  seal  up  the  clouds  of 
heaven,  and  send  no  rain  upon  the  earth,  for 
three  years  and  six  months,  as  in  the  time  of 
the  prophet,— you  might  fence  in  your  field, 
and  plough  up  your  ground,  and  scatter  your 
seed;  but  it  would  be  all  in  vain.    What  then? 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  241 

Does  the  planter  say,  The  showers  of  heaven 
are  absolutely  necessary  to  the  production  of  a 
crop — I  will  do  nothing — I  will  sit  still  and 
leave  it  to  the  showers  of  heaven  to  fence  in 
my  field,  and  plough  up  my  ground,  and 
scatter  the  seed.  Does  he  say  this?  We  know 
that  he  does  not.  Well,  the  winds  of  heaven, 
also,  are  necessary  to  waft  the  merchant-ship 
over  the  ocean.  The  ship  master  knows  it  full 
well ;  and  does  he  say,  I  will  not  weigh  the 
anchor — I  will  not  spread  the  canvass — I  will 
not  consult  the  chart — the  winds  of  heaven  are 
absolutely  necessary  to  waft  my  ship  over  the 
ocean,  I  will  leave  it  all  to  the  winds  of  heaven? 
O  no,  we  never  hear  any  thing  of  this  kind. 
In  temporal  matters,  sinners  usually  act  wisely 
and  discreetly;  but  in  spiritual  matters,  all 
seems  to  be  perverse  and  wrong !  There  need 
be  no  difficulty.  As  in  temporal,  so  in  spiritual 
matters.  There  must  be  the  meeting  of  the 
divine  and  human  agency.  See  the  children 
of  Israel  at  Pihahiroth,  they  are  hemmed  in  on 
all  sides;  mountains  on  this  side,  mountains  on 
that  side;  behind  them,  Pharaoh  with  his 
army  pressing  on;  and  before  them,  the  Red 
Sea ! — Now,  are  they  not  completely  hemmed 
in?  They  are  unarmed,  and  it  is  clear  de- 
liverance can  come  only  from  above.  But  they 
were  delivered.  How  ?  By  the  meeting  of  the 
human  and  divine  agency : — God  directs  Moses 
to  stretch  his  rod  over  the  Red  Sea.     Moses,  if 


242  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

perverse,  might  have  said,  Lord  God,  what  is 
the  use  of  stretching  the  rod  over  the  Red  Sea? 
He  was  not  perverse.  The  command  was 
given :  Stretch  the  rod  over  the  Red  Sea.  He 
obeyed — he  stretched  the  rod.  Here  was  the 
putting  forth  of  the  human  agency !  Imme- 
diately the  divine  agency  came  down  with 
mighty  power  upon  the  waters  of  the  Red  Sea, 
and  lo !  they  parted  asunder !  and  the  children 
of  Israel  passed  through  on  dry  ground  !  Now, 
here  was  the  meeting  of  both  the  divine  and 
human  agenOy,  and  yet  all  who  looked  on, 
knew  very  well,  that  the  only  efficient  agent 
was  God;  hence,  the  tribes,  with  one  accord, 
on  the  other  side  of  the  banks  of  the  Red  Sea, 
sang  God's  praises,  not  the  praises  of  Moses. 
Take  another  case.  The  children  of  Israel,  in 
the  wilderness,  on  a  certain  occasion,  were 
ready  to  perish  with  thirst, 

"  They  longed  for  a  cooling  stream, 
And  they  must  drink  or  die," 

And  now,  who  can  furnish  water  for  such  a 
multitude,  in  this  parched,  waste,  and  howling 
wilderness  ?  Assuredly,  none  but  God  only.  It 
was  furnished — How  ?  and  in  what  manner?  By 
the  meeting  of  the  human  and  divine  agency,  as 
we  said  before.  God  directs  Moses  to  reach  forth 
his  rod  and  smite  the  rock.  He  did  so,  and  lo ! 
the  water  gushed  in  great  abundance  from  the 
smitten  rock.     The  children  of  Israel  crowded 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  243 

around ;  drank  of  the  cool-flowing  stream, 
slaked  their  thirst,  and  praised,  not  Moses,  but 
the  God  of  Israel;  for  all  saw  plainly,  that, 
although  Moses  smote  the  rock,  it  was  God, 
and  God  only,  who  caused  the  water  to  gush 
forth.  I  repeat  it,  my  brethren,  there  need  be 
no  difficulty  in  understanding  this  matter.  The 
work  to  be  accomplished  is  great,  utterly  be- 
yond the  sinner's  power;  but  he  may  obtain 
help  from  on  high.  As  it  is  written,  "Let 
him  take  hold  of  my  strength,  that  he  may 
make  peace  with  me,  and  he  shall  make 
peace  with  me."  Isaiah  xxvii.  5.  And  again  : 
"  Fear  not,  I  am  with  thee,  I  will  help  thee, 
I  will  strengthen  thee,  yea  I  will  uphold  thee 
by  the  right  hand  of  my  righteousness."'  I 
am  aware  that  this  last  passage  has  special 
reference  to  the  people  of  God  w^ho  are  in 
trouble,  but  certainly  it  may  be  quoted  for  the 
encouragement  of  all,  who,  sensible  that  they 
need  help  from  above,  are  disposed  to  call 
upon  God  in  sincerity  and  in  truth;  for  the 
command  given  to  all,  is  this :  "  Seek  the  Lord, 
and  his  strength;  seek  his  face  evermore?" 
Psalm  cv.  4.  Some  persons  speaking  on  the 
subject  of  man's  ability  and  inability,  have 
indulged  in  metaphysic^  speculations,  and 
have  brought  a  vast  amount  of  learned  lore 
to  bear  upon  the  subject,  and  after  all  have 
only  darkened  counsel  by  w^ords  without  know- 


244  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

ledge;  and  I  have  frequently  thought  that  their 
account  of  the  matter  is  no  better  than  Doctor 
Johnson's  definition  of  the  term  net-work: 
"Anything  reticulated  or  decussated  with  in- 
terstices at  equal  distances  between  the  inter- 
sections." This  is  a  very  learned  definition  of 
a  very  simpk  thing ;  but,  although  learned  and 
rather  hard  to  be  understood,  it  is  after  all,  I 
believe,  not  correct;  for,  to  constitute  "net- 
work," it  is  not  necessary  that  the  reticulations 
should  be  at  equal  distances  between  the  inter- 
sections. But  to  return  to  the  doctrine  of  man's 
ability  and  inability,  permit  me  to  say,  there  is 
one  passage  of  Scripture  which  is  worth  whole 
volumes  of  merely  human  composition.  It  is 
this :  "  Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear 
and  trembling  :  for  it  is  God  which  worketh  in 
you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  plea- 
s'ure."  Phihp.  ii.  12.  The  idea  is  this:  that  we 
are  to  attend  to  our  soul's  salvation  as  if  we 
could  by  our  own  unaided  effort,  accomplish 
the  object  in  view,  and  at  the  same  time  rely 
upon  divine  aid,  as  if  we  literally  could  do 
nothing  at  all.  God  is  ever  ready  to  help  those 
who  are  disposed  to  bestir  themselves,  and  look 
to  him  for  help.  Let  the  cry  of  the  sinner  then 
be  the  cry  of  the  Cyi^phenician  woman,  "  Lord, 
help  me ;"  or  the  cry  of  Peter  sinking  in  the 
water,  "  Lord,  save  or  I  perish."  All  this  falls 
in  precisely  with  the  language  of  our  text : 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  245 

"  Seek  ye  the  Lord,  while  he  may  be  found ; 
call  ye  upon  him  while  he  is  near."  Once 
more : 

3.  You  must  take  the  sacred  volume  for 
your  guide.  It  will  not  do  to  follow  our  own 
fancies,  nor  square  our  conduct  by  the  rules 
which  men  may  prescribe.  No,  we  must,  with 
the  simplicity  of  little  children,  find  out  the 
directions  which  are  laid  down  in  the  Scrip- 
tures of  truth,  and  follow  them.  Now  in  the 
sacred  volumes  certain  things  are  laid  down  as 
important,  indeed  as  indispensable,  and  these 
must  not  be  neglected.  If  you  would  seek  the 
Lord  and  find  him  in  the  salvation  of  your 
souls, 

1.  You  must  seek  him  in  the  forsaking  of 
all  your  sins. — This  is  a  direction  which  im- 
mediately follows  the  words  of  our  text — "  Let 
the  wicked  forsake  his  w^ay,  and  the  unrighte- 
ous man  his  thoughts :  let  him  return  unto  the 
Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him,  and 
to  our  God,  who  will  abundantly  pardon."  Yes, 
if  the  sinner  would*  be  saved,  he  must  part 
with  every  sin.  Though  dear  as  a  right  hand, 
he  must  cut  it  off;  though  dear  as  a  right  eye, 
he  must  pluck  it  out.  Some  persons,  when 
awakened,  are  willing  to  part  with  some  sins, 
but  not  others.  There  is  some  darling  idol; 
some  beloved  lust,  or  what  the  Apostle  calls 
"  besetting  sin,"  which  they  are  not  willing  to 
give  up ;  but  they  must  give  it  up,  for  Christ 


246  REVIVAL    SERMON'S. 

came  not  to  be  the  minister  of  sin,  but  to 
cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness.  "  His 
name  shall  be  called  Jesus,"  said  the  angel, 
"  for  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins," 
Mark  !  shall  save  his  people,  not  m  their  sins, 
but  from  their  sins ;  and  this  may  remind  us 
of  the  words  of  the  Psalmist,  uttered  so  many 
ages  since — "  If  I  regard  iniquity  in  my  heart, 
the  Lord  will  not  hear  me."  Observe!  not 
merely,  if  he  indulges  sin  in  his  life,  but  sin 
in  his  heart.  I  repeat  it,  then,  there  can  be  no 
compromise  in  this  matter.  Sin  must  be  relin- 
quished, every  sin;  yea,  every  sin,  whether 
open  or  secret;  whether  fashionable  or  un- 
fashionable; whether  gainful  or  the  reverse; 
whether  it  be  in  the  life  or  only  in  the  heart. 
Some  may  think  this  a  hard  requirement,  but 
it  is  right,  and  it  must  stand.  Some  persons, 
as  we  have  said,  are  willing  to  part  w^ith  many 
sins,  but  not  with  all,  and  this  holds  them  in 
check.  They  think  that  they  are  in  peculiar 
circumstances,  and  desire  some  little  indul- 
gence in  certain  matters.  Concerning  this  and 
that  favourite  sin  they  are  ready  to  say  with 
Lot,  in  reference  to  Zoar,  "0,  is  it  not  a  little 
one?"  or  with  Naaman,  in  relation  to  a  certain 
matter,  "  The  Lord  pardon  thy  servant  in  this 
thing  "  O  these  favourite,  these  besetting  sins! 
how  hard  is  it  to  give  them  up !  I  recollect 
a  certain  man — pride  w^as  his  besetting  sin. 
He   seemed  to  be  constitutionally  proud   and 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  247 

haughty.  He  was  under  serious  impressions  a 
long  time,  and  it  was  only  when  he  was  laid 
upon  a  hed  of  sickness,  and  brought  to  the  bor- 
ders of  the  grave,  that  his  pride  was  subdued. 
I  recollect  another  who  was  intemperate.  He 
was  a  tavern-keej)er.  Powerfully  wrought 
upon,  he  attended  an  inquiry  meeting.  As  I 
approached  to  the  seat  which  he  occupied  he 
rose  up,  and  with  much  emotion  took  me  by 
the  hand.  (I  give  you  the  substance  of  our 
conversation.)  "  0  sir,"  said  he,  "  I  feel  that  I 
am  a  sinner;  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved?" 
"  Sir,"  replied  I,  you  must  give  up  your  bottle." 
A  little  nettled,  he  replied,  "  I  do  not  choose  to 
make  rash  promises."  "Very  well,"  said  I, 
"  you  may  do  as  you  please,  but  I  tell  you  the 
truth ;  you  must  give  up  your  bottle  or  your 
soul."  He  mused  awhile,  and  finally  conclud- 
ing, it  seems,  that  his  bottle  was  worth  more 
than  his  soul,  he  gathered  up  his  hat  and  cane 
and  walked  out,  and  I  saw  him  no  more.  Like 
Esau,  my  dear  brethren,  like  Esau,  who  for 
one  morsel  of  meat  sold  his  birthright ;  and  ye 
know  how  that  afterwards  when  he  would 
have  .inherited  the  blessing,  he  was  rejected, 
for  he  found  no  place  for  repentance,  though 
he  sought  it  carefully  with  tears.  0  these  be- 
setting sins,  they  have  ruined  many !  Another 
case  may  be  mentioned.  A  certain  individual 
was  brought  under  very  pungent  conviction. 
He  cried  for  mercy,  but  for  several  days  re- 


248  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

ceived  no  comfort.  He  had  had  a  difficulty 
with  a  certain  person  some  time  before,  and 
upon  examining  his  heart,  he  found  that  he 
indulged  in  an  unforgiving  spirit.  Certainly, 
it  is  all  plain  now.  The  Saviour  says — "  If  ye 
forgive  not  men  their  trespasses,  neither  will 
your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  forgive  you 
your  trespasses."  This  man  owed  his  Maker 
ten  thousand  talents,  and  was  crying  for  for- 
giveness, and  yet  he  himself  would  not  forgive 
a  fellow  creature  who  owed  him  fifty  pence ! 
Ah !  my  brethren,  we  are  taught  to  pray — 
"  Forgive  us  our  trespasses  as  we  forgive  those 
who  trespass  against  us."  When,  therefore,  we 
utter  this  petition,  and  do  not  forgive  those  who 
have  injured  us,  we  do  virtually  pray  that  God 
will  not  forgive  us.  Remember,  God  knows 
what  is  within  us  as  well  as  what  is  without 
us,  and  the  Psalmist  says — "  If  I  regard  ini- 
quity in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear  me." 
But  excuse  me,  my  brethren,  and  I  will  men- 
tion yet  another  case  illustrative  of  the  point 
before  us : — In  a  certain  town  in  Virginia  there 
was  a  revival  of  religion.  Amongst  the  anxious 
who  came  to  the  meeting  for  inquirers  on  a 
certain  day,  was  a  talented  young  lawyer.  He 
appeared  to  be  in  very  great  distress  of  mind. 
"  O,  sir,"  exclaimed  he,  in  agony,  "  must  I  be 
everlastingly  damned?"  "  By  no  means,"  said 
I,  "  my  dear  sir,  by  no  means.  It  is  a  faithful 
saying,  and   worthy  of   all   acceptation,   that 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  249 

Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sin- 
ners, even  the  chief.  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  He  left  the 
meeting  still  unrelieved.  What  can  be  the 
matter  ?  The  case  was  this : — He  had  just 
commenced  the  practice  of  the  law.  It  was, 
with  him,  a  favourite  pursuit,  and  from  this 
quarter  he  expected  M^ealth  and  distinction. 
When  brought  under  conviction,  he  recollected 
a  prediction  uttered  by  an  aunt  of  his  upon  her 
dying  bed,  some  time  before,  that  hc' would  yet 
be  converted,  and  become  a  preacher  of  the 
gospel.  Now,  thought  he,  my  aunt's  predic- 
tion is  coming  true ;  I  am  o^oins^  now  to  be 
converted,  and  then  I  shall  have  to  give  up  my 
profession  as  a  lawyer  and  become  a  preacher. 
This  he  could  not  consent  to — would  almost 
rather  be  damned  than  become  a  preacher. 
Now,  my  brethren,  observe,  I  do  not  say  it  is 
wrong  for  a  young  man  to  be  a  lawyer,  but  it 
is  very  wrong,  very  sinful,  to  be  self-willed. 
This  was  the  difficulty  with  this  young  man. 
He  wished  to  have  his  own  way ;  he  did  not 
wish  any  one,  not  even  the  ever  blessed  God, 
to  cross  his  path !  and  it  was  whilst  in  this 
frame  of  mind  he  exclaimed — "  And  must  I  be 
everlastingly  damned?"  A  few  days  after- 
wards, his  will  being  sweetly  subdued,  he  ob- 
tained  a    joyful   hope    in   Christ,   and    being 

asked,    "  Mr.  B ,  are  you  willing  to  be  a 

preacher  now,  if  God  shall  so  direct?"     Clasp- 

17 


250  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

ing  his  hands,  and  looking  with  eyes  streaming 
with  tears,  he  said — "Any  thing  now !  Blessed 
God,  any  thing  now."  My  dear  friends,  you 
that  are  now  under  awakening  influences,  let 
me  entreat  you  to  look  into  your  hearts,  as 
well  as  your  lives,  and  when  you  are  told 
that  you  must  seek  the  Lord  in  the  forsaking 
of  all  of  your  sins,  O  remember,  I  pray  you, 
in  connexion  with  it  the  words  of  the  Psalm- 
ist, already  more  than  once  repeated — "If  I 
regard  iniquity  in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will  not 
hear  me." 

2.  You  must  seek  him  at  the  right  time. 
"  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found, 
call  ye  upon  him  whilst  he  is  near."  Those 
guilty  spirits  upon  whom  the  light  of  eternity 
has  dawned,  cannot  seek  him  now,  for  their 
day  of  grace  is  past.  By  them  God  cannot 
now  be  found;  to  them  he  is  not  near,  nor 
ever  will  be.  Their  glass  is  run,  their  sun  is 
set,  and  their  souls  are  lost  for  ever.  The 
living!  the  living!  those  who  are  on  mercy's 
side  of  eternity — they  are  the  ones  who  may 
seek  the  Lord,  and  they  are  to  do  it  whilst 
yet  they  are  in  the  land  of  hope,  and  whilst  yet 
permitted  to  enjoy  the  means  of  grace,  and  en- 
tertain the  hope  of  glory.  But,  as  there  is  such 
a  tiling  as  seed  time,  and  harvest  time,  so  there 
are  certain  seasons  more  favourable  than  others 
for  attending  to  the  great  concern,  and  seek- 
ing the  salvation  of  the  soul.     For  example, 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  251 

the  period  of  youth  is  a  golden  season.  It  may 
emphatically  be  called  an  accepted  time,  and 
day  of  salvation,  for  as  yet  the  heart  is  not 
hardened,  nor  the  person  hackneyed  in  the 
ways  of  sin.  Moreover  there  are  special  pro- 
mises addressed  to  the  young:  '' I  love  them 
that  love  me,  and  they  that  seek  me  early  shall 
find  me;"  and  to  them  a  special  command  is 
given,  "  Remember  now  thy  Creator  in  the 
days  of  thy  youth,  while  the  evil  days  come 
not,  nor  the  years  draw  nigh  when  thou  shalt 
say,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  them."  Hence  we 
find  that  an  overwhelming  majority  of  those 
•  who  are  pious  are  brought  in,  in  the  morning 
of  life.  Indeed,  comparatively  speaking,  there 
are  few  soundly  converted  after  thirty  years  of 
age.  If  any  one  passes  the  period  of  youth,  a 
stranger  to  regeneration,  I  consider  that  his 
best  day  is  over,  and  that  his  prospect  for  hea- 
ven is  darkening  horribly !  O !  my  dear  young 
friends,  precious  youth,  you  are  the  hope  of 
the  church.  Upon  you  many  eyes  are  turned, 
and  for  you  many  prayers  are  offered — remem- 
ber, this  is  emphatically  your  time,  and  it  may 
be  with  you,  now  or  never!  A  season  of  re- 
vival is  also  a  peculiarly  favourable  season  for 
seeking  the  salvation  of  the  soul.  Besides  di- 
vine influences  coming  down  as  copious  dews, 
and  showers  of  rain  upon  a  thirsty  land,  soft- 
ening and  mellowing  the  soil,  there  are  special 
advantages,  and  special   means  of  grace  en- 


252  REVIVAL    SERJMONS. 

joyed.  Religions  meetings  are  multiplied,  ser- 
mons more  pungent,  prayers  more  fervent, 
spiritual  conversation  more  frequent,  and  then 
there  is  the  rousing  intelligence  that  this  friend 
is  awakened,  and  that  converted ;  and  who 
does  not  know  that  young  converts  are,  usual- 
ly, not  inactive  ?  Having  found  the  one  pearl 
of  great  price,  they  greatly  desire  to  see  their 
old  companions  in  the  possession  of  the  same 
blessing.  Having  experienced  the  grace  of 
God  in  their  own  hearts,  they  cannot  but  tell 
to  those  aroimd,  what  a  dear  Saviour  they 
have  found.  With  David  they  are  inclined  to 
say  to  every  unconverted  friend,  "O!  taste* 
and  see  that  the  Lord  is  good;"  and  as  Moses 
said  to  Hobab,  his  brother-in-law,  so  are  they 
ready  to  say  to.  every  dear  relative,  "  We  are 
journeying  unto  the  place  of  which  the  Lord 
said,  I  will  give  it  you :  come  thou,  with  us, 
and  we  will  do  thee  good :  for  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  good  concerning  Israel."  Here  are  new 
means  of  grace  enjoyed,  new  appeals  made, 
new  considerations  presented.  In  short,  all  the 
scenes  and  circumstances  of  the  case  are  emi- 
nently calculated  to  wake  up  serious  thought 
in  the  bosom,  and  rouse  the  soul  to  an  imme- 
diate consideration  of  the  high  claims  of  God 
and  eternity.  Surely  then  a  season  of  revival 
is  a  precious  season — it  is  a  golden  opportu- 
nity afforded  for  attending  to  the  interests  of 
the  undying  soul.     In  the  great  mercy  of  God 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  253 

this  season  you  now  enjoy,  for  right  happy  am 
I  to  say,  the  Lord  is  pouring  out  his  Spirit 
here.  Christians!  the  Lord  has  heard  your 
prayers,  and  in  answer  to  them  he  has  granted 
you  a  season  of  refreshing  from  his  presence. 
You  are  now  in  the  midst  of  a  revival!  How 
delightfully  does  this  announcement  fall  upon 
the  ear.  Yes,  I  repeat  it,  and  to  God  be  all 
the  glory!  You  are  now  in  the  midst  of  a 
revival!  The  Lord  is  come! — the  Lord  is 
come !  "  Let  earth  receive  her  king.  Let  every 
heart  prepare  him  room,  and  heaven  and  na- 
ture sing !"  0 !  yes,  let  every  heart  prepare 
him  room.  0 !  sinner,  will  you  not  throw 
open  the  door  of  your  heart  and  let  the  heaven- 
ly stranger  in?  Do  not,  I  beseech  you,  do  not 
let  this  season  pass  unimproved.  The  time 
may  come  when  you  may  desire  to  see  the 
things  which  you  now  see,  and  shall  not  see 
them;  and  to  hear  the  things  which  you  now 
hear,  and  shall  not  hear  them.  Yes,  the  time 
may  come  when  you  shall  have  to  take  up  the 
dismal  lamentation — I  have  lost  my  day! — the 
harvest  is  past,  the  summer  is  ended,  and  I  am 
not  saved. 

Again:  when  the  Spirit  is  striving,  is  an- 
other peculiarly  favourable  season  for  seeking 
the  salvation  of  the  soul.  We  may  not  be  able 
to  explain  or  understand  how  the  divine  Spirit 
operates  upon  the  mind  of  man,  but  that  there 
is  such  an  operation  there  can  be  no  doubt,  for 


254  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

the  Scriptures  affirm  it,  and  that  these  opera- 
tions are  more  powerful  at  one  time  than  an- 
other, this  fact  also  cannot  be  denied;  for 
sometimes  the  word  of  God  is  made  to  burn 
upon  the  conscience  in  a  very  peculiar  man- 
ner, and  a  new  concern  in  relation  to  spiritual 
things,  is  waked  up  in  the  soul.  There  is  a 
more  realizing  sense  of  the  vanity  of  the  world, 
of  the  importance  of  religion,  than  common; 
moreover  the  person  has  a  livelier  sense  of  his 
own  sinfulness  and  need  of  a  Saviour,  than, 
perhaps  he  ever  had  before.  He  begins  to  envy 
the  lot  of  the  pious,  and  washes  that  he  too 
were  a  Christian.  Now,  also,  he  takes  more 
interest  in  attending  upon  the  ordinances  of 
God's  house,  and  feels  more  inclined  to  read 
the  Scriptures  than  usual.  This  is  a  blessed 
season.  Now  the  words  of  the  Saviour  are 
peculiarly  applicable,  "  Behold,  I  stand  at  the 
door  and  knock,  if  any  man  hear  my  voice 
and  open  to  me,  I  will  come  in  and  sup  with 
him,  and  he  with  me."  And  now  this  pas- 
sage of  Scripture  too  is  peculiarly  appropriate, 
"  To-day,  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden 
not  your  heart;"  and  this,  "Quench  not  the 
Spirit."  This,  as  we  have  said,  is  truly  a 
blessed  season,  but  it  is  moreover  a  critical 
time,  for  sins  committed  in  these  circum- 
stances, are  sins  committed  against  more  light 
and  more  love  than  ordinary,  and  therefore 
are  peculiarly  sinful.    0 !  are  there  any  in  this 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  255 

laro;e  and  solemn  assembly  under  the  strivings 
of  the  Spirit  ?  remember  you  are  now  in  pecu- 
liarly solemn  circumstances.  You  have  now- 
come  to  the  place  where  two  seas  meet.  You 
may  now,  so  to  speak,  be  casting  the  die  for 
eternity.  At  any  rate  God  is  come  down,  by 
his  Spirit,  to  talk  with  you !  yea,  you  have 
now  a  loud  call  from  heaven — beware  how  you 
turn  a  deaf  ear  to  it,  for  it  may  be  your  last ! 

"  Spurn  not  the  call  to  life  and  light, 
Regard  in  time  the  warning  kind ; 
That  call  thou  may'st  not  always  slight, 
And  yet  the  gate  of  mercy  find. 

God's  spirit  will  not  always  strive 
With  hardened,  self-destroying  man  ; 

Ye  who  persist  his  love  to  grieve, 
May  never  hear  his  voice  again." 

With  great  emphasis,  then,  may  the  lan- 
guage of  our  text  be  sounded  in  your  ears; 
and  may  it  go  thundering  through  all  the 
chambers  of  your  souls — "  Seek  ye  the  Lord 
while  he  may  be  found,  call  ye  upon  him  while 
he  is  near."     Once  more, 

3.  You  must  seek  the  Lord  with  all  your 
heart.  *'  Blessed  are  they  that  seek  him  with 
the  whole  heart,"  says  the  Psalmist ;  and  says 
the  Eternal  God  himself— "And  ye  shall  seek 
me,  and  find  me,  when  ye  shall  search  for  me 
with  all  your  heart."  Jer.  xxix.  13.  The  object 
in  view  is  a  great  object,  and  demands  the  whole 


256  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

soul.  Some  persons  seek  the  Lord,  but  they 
do  it  with  a  divided  heart.  Antagonistical  prin- 
ciples seem  to  be  at  work  within  them,  and 
they  are  drawn  in  different  directions.  Some- 
times they  are  greatly  excited;  almost  per- 
suaded to  be  Christians,  but  something  seems  to 
hold  them.  They  are  very  much  like  a  balloon 
ready  to  ascend,  but  bound  down  to  the  earth  by 
a  cord ;  or  like  a  tree,  undermined  by  the  tor- 
rent, and  thrown  upon  the  bosom  of  the  stream, 
a  current  is  bearing  strongly  upon  it  to  sweep 
it  along ;  and  yet  it  is  not  swept  along !  And 
why?  There  are  some  roots  binding  it  to  the 
bank.  Cut  the  roots  and  then  it  will  go,  but 
so  long  as  the  roots  remain  uncut,  so  long  does 
it  there  remain,  see-sawing,  notwithstanding 
the  current  which  bears  so  strongly  upon  it. 
Just  so,  many  a  sinner  undermined  by  the 
power  of  divine  truth,  is  thrown  prostrate  in 
deep  distress  and  humiliation ;  a  current  of  di- 
vine influences  is  bearing  strongly  upon  him, 
to  waft  him  to  Christ  and  to  glory,  but  there 
are  some  roots  binding  him  to  the  earth.  Now, 
the  sinner  must  cut  the  roots.  He  must  break 
away  from  all  the  influences  of  the  world.  He 
must  give  up  every  thing  which  interferes 
with  his  duty  to  his  Maker.  He  must  do  it, 
or  he  cannot  expect  divine  acceptance.  He 
must  do  it,  or  he  must  lose  his  soul.  For  no 
man  can  serve  two  masters,  and  it  is  quite  im- 
possible to  be  earthly-minded   and   heavenly- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  257 

minded  at  the  same  time.  I  recollect  making 
a  remark  of  this  kind  from  the  desk,  at  a  cer- 
tain place  in  Virginia.  On  coming  down  from 
the  pulpit,  a  gentleman  came  up  to  me;  he 
was  a  lawyer  of  high  respectability;  he  came 
Tip  to  me,  and  grasping  my  hand  with  emotion, 
said: — "  Stranger,  you  have  described  my  case 
exactly.  Those  roots,  sir,  those  roots — they 
have  almost  ruined  me.  God  helping  me,  I  '11 
cut  the  roots!"  I  saw  decision  marked  in  his 
countenance.  His  mind  was  made  up  to  have 
salvation,  cost  what  it  might.  No  w^onder  that 
about  two  days  after  he  was  rejoicing  in  Christ, 
and  subsequently  became  a  much  valued  elder 
of  the  church.  Ah !  my  brethren,  it  is  a  great 
matter  to  have  the  mind  made  up ;  and  I  have 
observed  that  when  the  mind  is  fully  made  up, 
the  battle  is  half  won.  Only  let  a  person  be 
in  right  down  good  earnest  in  seeking  the  sal- 
vation of  his  soul,  and  the  blessing  is  nigh, 
even  at  the  door.  And  is  it  not  reasonable, 
when  .such  great  interests  are  at  stake,  that  the 
mind  should  be  made  up  ?  Is  it  not  reasona- 
ble, when  nothing  less  than  eternal  life  is  the 
prize,  that  the  sinner  should  be  in  good  ear- 
nest. See  how  it  is  with  the  man  w^ho  is  in 
the  pursuit  of  wealth :  he  leaves  no  stone  un- 
turned to  increase  his  golden  store.  And  see 
the  man  of  ambition,  w^ho  pants  after  fame,  and 
greatly  desires  to  reach  some  post  of  honour 
and  distinction.  How  constantly  is  he  thinking 


258  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

upon  the  subject;  how  diligent  is  he  in  the  use 
of  all  means  for  the  attainment  of  the  object  in 
view !  and  if  he  succeed  not,  verily  his  want  of 
success  is  not  to  be  ascribed  either  to  a  want  of 
resolution  or  lack  of  effort.  And  when  life, 
temporal  life,  is  at  stake,  0  what  struggles, 
what  determination  then !  For  example — 
Roused  from  his  slumbers  at  a  midnight  hour, 
a  man  finds  his  house  on  fire ;  his  determina- 
tion is  to  make  his  escape.  Springing  from 
his  bed  without  delay,  he  rushes  to  the  door. 
Does  he  find  that  locked  ?  He  hurries  to  the 
window.  Is  that  fastened  ?  He  cries  for  help, 
again  rushes  to  the  door,  again  to  the  window. 
No  difficulties  cause  him  to  give  over  his  ef- 
forts to  make  his  escape  :  they  only  rouse  him 
to  still  greater  and  more  determined  efforts. 
He  loses  no  time,  puts  forth  all  his  strength, 
strains  every  nerve. to  break  open  the  window, 
to  break  down  the  door,  and  if  he  perishes,  it 
is  whilst  strug"srlinq^  with  all  his  micrht — if  he  is 

DO  O  O 

consumed,  it  is  because  his  most  vigorous  and 
determined  efforts  have  all  proved  unavailing. 
O,  if  sinners  would  but  be  in  such  good  ear- 
nest in  seeking  the  salvation  of  their  souls, 
how  certainly  would  they  attain  everlasting 
life !  how  certainly  would  a  crown  of  glory  rest 
upon  their  heads.  But,  alas !  when  roused  to 
make  some  efforts,  how  frequently  is  it  the 
case  that  these  efforts  are  not  as  resolute  and 
determined  as  they  should  be.     They  are  in- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  259 

terriipted  by  this  thing  and  that.  There  are 
difficulties  in  the  way,  and  various  excuses  are 
made,  at  the  very  time  that  the  sinner  should 
be  crying  for  mercy  and  seeking  help  from  on 
high.  Nehemiah  and  his  associates  had  great 
difficulty  in  building  up  the  walls  of  Jerusalem, 
which  had  been  broken  down.  They  wrought 
with  one  hand,  while  they  held  a  weapon  in 
the  other,  and  the  result  was  this — by  the  good 
hand  of  God  over  them,  they  succeeded :  as  it 
is  written — "  So  built  we  the  wall,  and  all  the 
wall  was  joined  together  unto  the  half  thereof, 
for  the  people  had  a  mind  to  work."  Notice 
the  phrase,  "  the  people  had  a  mind  to  work." 
Here  was  the  secret  of  their  success — their 
heart  was  in  the  matter :  they  were  in  good 
earnest  in  the  work  in  which  they  were  en- 
gaged. You  have  heard  of  the  revolutionary 
struggle.  Thirteen  feeble  colonies  contended 
for  independence  against  the  mighty  power  of 
England.  That  is,  the  eagle  of  the  west, 
scarcely  fledged,  engaged  in  deadly  conflict 
with  the  lion  of  the  east,  in  his  full  strength 
and  vigour;  and  to  the  astonishment  of  the  world 
success  crowned  the  effort,  our  independence 
was  achieved.  How? — Under  God,  by  the 
power  of  resolution. 

The  great  secret  of  success  may  be  found  in 
the  closing  sentence  of  that  immortal  document, 
denominated  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 
It  is  in  these  words  :  "In  defence  of  these  prin- 


260  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

ciples,  we  pledge  to  each  other,  our  hves,  our 
fortunes,  and  our  sacred  honour."  O  could  we 
see  this  spirit  of  fixed  and  settled  determination 
carried  into  religious  matters;  could  we  hear 
this  one,  and  that  one,  saying  with  the  Psalmist, 
"  My  heart  is  fixed,  0  God,  my  heart  is  fixed ;" 
or  with  Joshua,  "  Choose  you  this  day  whom  ye 
will  serve — but  as  for  me,  and  my  house,  we 
will  serve  the  Lord." — Could  this  spirit  but 
animate  every  bosom  in  this  assembly,  0  what 
delightful  scenes  would  here  be  presented; 
verily,  the  voice  of  joy  and  gratulation  would 
be  heard  in  every  dwelling — we  should  truly 
have  a  pentecostal  time,  yea — the  millennium 
in  miniature — for  remember  the  promise  is, 
Ye  shall  seek  me,  and  find  me  when  you 
search  for  me  with  all  your  heart.  0  ye  who 
wish  a  blessing  from  on  high,  lay.  hold  upon 
this  blessed  promise;  take  God  at  his  w^ord; 
put  him  upon  his  honour,  and  eternal  life  is 
sure!  Eternal  life  !  O  think  what  a  boon,  what 
a  prize  this  is!  Eternal  life  !  what  is  it?"  Were 
I  a  glorified  spirit,  I  would  know  it ;  were  I  an 
adoring  seraph,  I  would  feel  it ;  but  were  I  a 
glorified  spirit  or  an  adoring  seraph,  I  could 
never,  no  never,  describe  it.  It  is  to  be  rescued 
from  the  ruins  of  the  fall,  and  restored  to  the  fa- 
vour of  God !  It  is  to  be  delivered  from  the  perils 
and  pangs  of  everlasting  damnation,  and  to  be 
placed  in  possession  of  all  the  bliss  and  glories  of 
an  eternal  w^orld  of  glory ! — In  short,  it  is  to  be 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  261 

saved  from  sin,  and  all  its  consequences,  and  to 
be  made  unspeakably  happy,  and  that  for  ever, 
and  for  ever  more !  A  certain  ship,  as  we  are 
informed,  was  caught  up  by  a  tremendous  tem- 
pest and  dashed  upon  the  rocks.  The  passen- 
gers and  crew  were  precipitated  into  the  deep ; 
twelve  persons  succeeded  in  getting  into  the 
life-boat ;  one  poor  creature  more,  struggling  in 
the  water,  swam  up  to  the  boat,  laid  his  right 
hand  upon  it,  and  attempted  to  get  in.  But 
one  within  with  a  sword  cut  oflf  his  hand !  (It 
was  apprehended  that  if  another  was  taken  in, 
the  boat  would  sink.)  But  what  was  the  poor 
man  to  do?  There  was  no  safety  in  the  wreck; 
he  could  not  swim  to  land,  it  w^as  far  out  of 
sight — the  boat!  the  boat!  he  must  get  into 
the  boat,  or  he  must  perish.  Struggling  des- 
perately with  the  rolling  billows,  he  came  up 
to  the  boat  a  second  time  and  grasped  it  with 
his  left  hand.  That  too  was  cut  off — 0  poor 
creature,  both  hands  bleeding,  and  death  look- 
ing him  in  the  face,  what  must  he  do?  Skin 
for  skin,  all  that  a  man  hath  will  he  give  for  his 
life.  He  fixed  his  eyes  again  upon  the  boat,  he 
came  up  to  it  the  third  time,  and  grasped  the 
rudder  with  his  teeth.  Pity  touched  the  heart 
of  those  within,  and  rather  than  to  cut  off  his 
head,  they  resolved  to  run  the  risk  of  all  perish- 
ing together.  They  took  him  in.  and  his  life 
was  saved.  0,  sinner,  you  are  shipwrecked — 
you  are  perishing.     There  is  no  safety  for  you 


262  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

ia  the  wreck,  and  you  cannot  swim  to  land ;  it 
is  far  away — do  you  ask  what  is  to  be  done? 
There  is  a  hfe-boat  at  hand ;  Christ  is  this  hfe- 
boat — struggle,  O  struggle  up  to  him — he  will 
not  cut  off  the  hand  which  you  imploringly 
reach  out  to  him!  0  no!  no!  "His  heart  is 
made  of  tenderness — his  bowels  melt  with 
love" — Cut  off  your  hand  !  He  himself  reaches 
out  both  of  his  arms  to  receive  you !  O  how 
ready  is  he  to  save  you  from  perishing — how 
able  and  willing  to  save  your  soul !  O  that  this 
day  may  be  with  you  the  day  of  decision ;  the 
birth-day  of  your  precious  souls !  Come,  dear 
friends,  every  thing  seems  now  propitious !  O 
come  this  day,  and  cast  in  your  lot  with  the 
people  of  God,  and  let  us  all  have  one  lot,  one 
Jesus,  one  heaven,  one  home ! 


SERMON  X. 

THE  DUTY  or  COMING  TO  CHRIST. 

John  vi.  44. — No  man  can  come  to  me,  except  the  Father  which  hath 
sent  me  draw  him. 

In  the  economy  of  redemption,  my  brethren, 
Jesus  Christ  is  all,  and  in  all !  He  is  the  hiding 
place  from  the  wind,  and  without  him,  there  is 
no  covert  from  the  tempest ;  he  is  the  physician 
of  souls,  and  without  him,  there  is  no  spiritual 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  263 

cure ;  he  is  the  Saviour  of  the  lost,  and  without 
him,  there  is  no  salvation.  Hence  the  unceasiner 
efforts  made  to  direct  all  eyes,  and  all  hearts  to 
him.  John  the  Baptist,  pointing  him  out  to 
his  disciples,  exclaims,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of 
God  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world." 
"  We  have  seen  and  do  testify,"  says  John  the 
Apostle,  "  that  the  Father  sent  the  Son  to  be 
the  Saviour  of  the  world." — "  There  is  salvation 
in  none  other,"  says  Peter.  "  Other  founda- 
tion," says  Paul,  "  can  no  man  lay,  than  is  laid, 
which  is  Jesus  Christ."  And,  according  to  the 
testimony  of  the  Apostle  Peter,  in  another  place, 
this  great  truth  was  well  known  to  the  Old 
Testament  saints;  "For,"  says  he,  "to  him, 
(Jesus  Christ)  give  all  the  prophets  witness, 
that  through  him,  whosoever  believeth  in  him, 
shall  receive  remission  of  sins ;"  and  we  must 
not  forget  the  closing  testimony  of  John  the 
Baptist,  uttered  with  so  much  solemnity,  "  The 
Father  loveth  the  Son,  and  hath  given  all  things 
into  his  hands:  he  that  believeth  on  the  Son, 
hath  everlasting  life ;  and  he  that  believeth  not 
the  Son,  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him." — To  crown  the  whole,  hear 
the  words  of  the  blessed  Saviour  himself:  "I  am 
the  Way,  and  the  Truth,  and  the  Life,  and  no 
man  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me."  And 
again :  "  If  ye  believe  not  that  I  am  he,  ye  shall 
die  in  your  sins." — In  the  economy  of  redemp- 
tion, then,  Christ  being  all  in  all,  permit  me 


264  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

here  to  make  the  following  remarks,  which  I 
wish  to  be  distinctly  remembered : 

1.  It  is  the  sinner's  duty  to  come  to  Christ, 
and  by  coining  to  Christ,  I  mean  believing  in 
him,  resting  upon  him  as  the  sinner's  only 
hope.  Now,  we  say,  it  is  the  sinner's  duty  to 
come  to  Christ.  Some  persons  seem  to  imagine 
it  is  left  to  their  own  option  whether  they  come 
or  not,  but  it  is  not  so ;  they  are  commanded  to 
come,  and  they  cannot  neglect  to  come  without 
incurrinor  the  (?uilt  of  wilful  disobedience,  and 
we  may  add,  the  guilt  of  self-destruction.  Here 
is  a  man  shut  up  in  a  house  which  is  on  fire — 
a  door  is  thrown  open,  by  which  he  may  make 
his  escape — is  it  not  his  duty,  by  that  door,  to 
make  his  escape? — Here  is  a  person  who  is 
dying  under  the  influence  of  poison  received 
into  the  system;  an  effectual  antidote  is  offered 
to  him,  should  he  reject  that  antidote  and  die, 
is  he  not  guilty  of  self-murder  ?     But, 

2.  It  is  the  sinner's  interest  to  come  to  Christ. 
It  is  remarkable,  how  beautifully  and  closely 
duty  and  interest  are  linked  together  in  the 
sacred  volume.  We  are  commanded  to  do  no- 
thing whatever  which  is  not  promotive  of  our 
real  and  best  interests.  This  is  emphatically 
the  case  in  the  matter  now  before  us ;  for  if  it 
be  the  sinner's  duty  to  come  to  Christ,  as  we 
have  shown,  it  is  equally  his  interest,  for  there 
is  not  a  want  in  the  sinner,  but  there  is  a  cor- 
responding fulness  in  the  Saviour,  as  it  is  writ- 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  265 

ten:  "  It  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him  should 
all  fulness  dwell." — And  again :  "  Of  his  ful- 
ness," says  the  Apostle,  "  have  we  all  received, 
and  gracq  for  grace." — I  repeat  it,  there  is  not 
a  want  in  the  sinner,  but  there  is  a  correspond- 
ing fulness  in  our  blessed  Redeemer.  Is  the 
sinner  hungry  ?  Let  him  come  to  Christ,  and 
he  shall  be  made  to  partake  of  the  bread  of  life. 
Is  the  sinner  thirsty  ?  Let  him  come  to  Christ 
and  he  shall  be  permitted  to  drink  of  the  wells 
of  salvation.  Is  the  sinner  sick  ?  Let  him  come 
to  Christ  and  he  shall  have  life  and  vigour  in- 
fused into  his  soul.  Is  he  naked?  Let  him 
come  to  Christ,  and  he  shall  receive  a  beauteous 
robe.  Is  he  blind  ?  Let  him  come  to  Christ, 
and  he  shall  have  his  eyes  open  to  see  wondrous 
things.  Is  he  deaf?  Let  him  come  to  Christ, 
and  his  ears  shall  be  unstopped  to  hear  the 
voice  of  uncreated  harmony  speaking  peace  to 
his  happy  soul.  Is  the  sinner  burdened?  Let 
him  come  to  Christ,  and  his  burden  shall  be 
taken  away.  Is  the  sinner  longing  for  rest? 
Let  him  come  to  Christ,  and  he  shall  have 
sweet  repose.  Is  he  trembling  under  the  ap- 
prehension of  future  wrath  ?  Let  him  come  to 
Christ,  and  he  will  find  that  there  is  now,  there- 
fore, no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in 
Christ;  for,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  "  Being 
justified  by  faith,  he  shall  have  peace  with  God, 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." — Yes,  no  mat- 
ter what  may  be  the  sinner's  wants,  or  woes, 
18 


266  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

Christ  is  suited  to  his  case,  in  all  things — only, 
therefore,  let  him  come  to  Christ,  and  he  shall 
be  made  rich  and  happy  throughout  all  time, 
and  throughout  all  eternity.  Assuredly,  then,  it 
is  the  sinner's  interest  to  come  to  Christ.  But, 
3.  The  sinner  must  come  to  Christ,  or  he 
must  perish  everlastingly.  There  is  no  mis- 
take about  this  matter;  for  if  Christ,  in  the 
economy  of  redemption,  be,  as  we  have  shown, 
our  all  in  all,  of  course  those  who  are  without 
Christ,  are  without  hope ;  hence  the  language 
of  the  Saviour  to  his  disciples  in  his  last 
charge,  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature;  he  that  believeth 
and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved;  but  he  that  be- 
lieveth not,  shall  be  damned."  This  is  certain- 
ly one  of  the  most  awful  declarations  found  in 
all  the  Bible;  and  it  assumes  a  character  of 
peculiar  interest  and  solemnity,  when  we  re- 
member by  whom  this  declaration  was  origi- 
nally made,  and  in  what  circumstances.  By 
whom  was  this  declaration  originally  made? 
Not  by  an  enemy,  but  by  a  friend — the  tender 
hearted  Jesus — the  sinner's  best  friend,  and 
the  final  Judge  of  all  mankind.  And  when 
was  this  declaration  of  the  Saviour  made  ?  In 
his  last  interview  with  his  disciples,  just  as  he 
was  about  to  ascend  to  heaven,  there  to  plead 
for  those  for  whom  he  had  so  recently  shed  his 
most  precious  blood- — yes,  in  these  peculiarly 
solemn  and  interesting  circumstances  he  said. 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  267 

"  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized,  shall  be 
saved ;  but  he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be  damn- 
ed." Ah !  my  brethren,  the  case  is  clear — 
Christ  is  the  sinner's  only  hope,  and  the  sin- 
ner must  come  to  him,  or  perish  for  ever. 

4.  Although  it  is  the  sinner's  duty  to  come 
to  Christ — although  it  is  his  interest  to  come 
to  Christ,  and  although  he  must  come  to  Christ 
or  perish  everlastingly,  yet  such  is  the  reign- 
ing power  of  sin,  and  such  the  deep  depra- 
vity of  the  sinner's  heart,  and  such  the  do- 
minion of  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil, 
that  no  man  can  come  to  Christ  except  he  be 
divinely  drawn.  Some  stumble  at  this  doc- 
trine, and  even  reject  it,  but  this,  surely,  must 
be  from  want  of  due  consideration,  for  it  is  cer- 
tainly both  a  scriptural  and  wholesome  doc- 
trine. Scriptural: — Besides  our  text,  which  of 
itself  is  sufficient  to  establish  the  point,  we 
find  in  the  sacred  Scriptures,  numerous  pas- 
sages of  similar  import.  For  example,  "  O 
generation  of  vipers,  how  can  ye,  being  evil, 
speak  good  things?"  Mat.  xii.  34.  "Without 
me,"  says  the  Saviour,  "  ye  can  do  nothing." 
John  XV.  5.  And,  says  the  Apostle  Paul, 
"  We  are  not  sufficient  of  ourselves  to  think 
any  thing  as  of  ourselves."  Now  here  you 
will  observe,  according  to  one  passage,  we  are 
not  able  to  say,  according  to  another  we  are 
not  able  to  do,  and  according  to  a  third  we  are 
not  able  to  think,  any  thing  truly  acceptable, 


268  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

as  of  ourselves. ,  These  passages  are  strongly 
corroborative  of  om'  doctrine;  but  there  are 
others  equally  strong,  equally  conclusive  in 
relation  to  man's  helpless  and  ruined  condi- 
tion without  divine  aid.  I  need  only  remind 
you  of  those  well  known  passages  which  speak 
of  man's  deplorable  condition  in  an  unrenewed 
state.  Thus,  "  And  you  hath  he  quickened, 
who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins."  Eph. 
ii.  1.  Mark,  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  Can 
one  who  is  dead,  of  himself  come  forth  out  of 
his  grave  of  corruption?  Again,  "The  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  against  God,  for  it  is  not  sub- 
ject to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be." 
Rom.  viii.  7.  How  can  the  sinner  of  himself 
convert  a  heart  of  enmity  into  a  heart  of  love  ? 
Again,  "  The  heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is  fully 
set  in  them  to  do  evil."  Eccl.  viii.  11.  The 
current  of  the  ocean  you  cannot  resist,  nor  the 
strong  current  of  a  dej.  aved  soul.  But  why 
multiply  passages  of  Scripture.  The  doctrine 
of  the  sinner's  total  depravity  and  helplessness, 
is  taught  in  every  part  of  the  sacred  vohirae, 
and  is  taken  for  granted  in  such  passages  as 
these :  "  O  Israel,  thou  hast  destroyed  thyr 
self."  "  Ye  are  his  workmanship,  created  in 
Christ  Jesus  :" — and,  "  Except  a  man  be  born 
ag^ain  he  cannot  see  the  kinofdom  of  God." 
The  doctrine  then  wliich  we  advocate,  touch- 
ing the  helplessness  of  the  sinner,  in  his  unre- 
newed state,  is  certainly  a  scriptural  doctrine, 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  269 

and  God  forbid  that  we  should  attempt  to  ex- 
plain away  our  text,  which  so  clearly  presents 
the  doctrine. 

But  we  said  that  the  doctrine  was  not  only 
scriptural,  but  a  wholesome  doctrine.  Yes,  it 
is  the  very  one  which  breaks  down  the  pride 
of  the  sinner's  heart — which  causes  him  to  feel 
that  he  lies  at  the  mercy  of  God — and  the  very 
thing  which,  humbling  the  loftiness  and  self- 
sufficiency  of  his  soul,  prepares  him,  and  in- 
clines him  more  earnestly  to  seek,  and  more 
highly  to  prize  help  from  on  high.  And  I 
have  noticed  that  the  sinner  never  will  come 
to  Christ  until  he  finds  that  he  cannot  save 
himself — never  will  come  to  Christ  until  he 
finds  that  he  must,  positively  must,  or  perish. 
This  is  human  nature,  as  it  may  be  seen  illus- 
trated in  other  things. 

Here  is  a  man  walking  along  the  streets,  who 
is  dwelling  with  great  complacency  upon  the 
thougrht  that  he  is  worth  a  million  of  dollars. 
One  steps  up  to  him  and  says — "  I  understand 
that  you  owe  Mr.  A.  B.  a  thousand  dollars,  and 
he  purposes  to  exact  payment.  I  am  very  sorry 
for  you,  sir,  and  am  willing  to  pay  the  amount." 
"What  do  you  mean,  sir,"  replies  the  million- 
aire. "  Suppose  I  owe  a  thousand  dollars,  I  can 
pay  my  own  debts.  Reserve  your  benevolence 
jfor  those  who  may  need  it."  But  now,  sup- 
pose this  rich  man  were  a  poor  man ;  and  sup- 
pose, utterly  unable  to  pay  his  debts,  he  were 


270  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

pressed  by  tlie  sheriff  for  a  claim  of  a  thousand 
dollars,  and  the  amount  he  must  pay,  or  be  im- 
prisoned. Now,  if  in  these  circumstances  one 
who  w^as  able  and  willing  to  relieve  him  should 
kindly  offer  to  pay  the  amount — "  O,  sir,"  me- 
thinks  he  would  say,  "  How  could  I  expect 
such  a  favour?"  And  when  assured  that  it 
was  done  with  great  cheerfulness,  how  thank- 
fully would  he  accept  the  kind  offer,  and  say — 
"  This  is  kindness  indeed  !  O,  sir,  I  owe  you  a 
thousand  thanks !  I  want  words  to  express  my 
sense  of  the  great  obligations  I  am  under  to 
you."  The  application  you  understand.  Whilst 
the  sinner,  in  the  pride  of  his  heart,  imagines 
that  he  is  rich,  and  increased  in  goods,  and  has 
need  of  nothing,  he  undervalues  the  provisions 
of  gospel  grace — rejects  the  Saviour ;  but  only 
let  him  be  brought  to  feel  that  he  owes  a  thou- 
sand talents  and  has  nothing  to  pay ;  let  him  be 
made  sensible  that,  spiritually,  he  is  wretched 
and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked, 
and  oh  !  then,  how  welcome  are  the  provisions 
of  gospel  grace,  and  how  dear  is  the  Saviour 
of  lost  sinners!  This  is  the  very  idea  pre- 
sented by  Christ  himself: — "The  whole  have 
no  need  of  a  physician,"  says  he,  "but  they 
that  are  sick,  I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous, 
but  sinners  to  repentance.  Here  is  a  man  who 
has  fallen  over  a  precipice.  By  his  fall  he  is 
stunned,  and  has  a  limb  dislocated.  Coming 
to  himself,  he  finds  that  he  is  in  an  evil  case. 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  271 

The  first  thought  is  to  rise  up  and  walk  away. 
He  accordingly  makes  the  attempt;  but  a  limb 
is  dislocated,  and  he  sinks  down  to  the  earth. 
He  is  more  sensible  of  the  evil  of  his  case,  but 
the  spirit  of  the  man  is  in  him,  and  he  yet,  it 
may  be,  calls  for  no  help.  He  makes  another 
effort,  more  vigorous  than  the  first;  his  limb 
again  gives  way,  and  down  he  sinks.  We  will 
suppose,  now,  it  is  bitter  cold ;  it  is  snowing 
fast,  and  the  shades  of  night  are  drawing  on. 
It  flashes  upon  him — if  no  one  comes  to  his 
relief,  there  he  must  perish :  that  spot  will  be 
his  grave,  and  the  falling  snow  will  be  his 
winding-sheet.  Now,  at  last,  iirged  by  the  ne- 
cessity of  the  case,  he  cries  for  help,  aye,  loudly 
and  earnestly  does  he  now  cry  for  help.  Ob- 
serve, whilst  he  thought  he  could  help  himself, 
he  called  for  none;  but  a  full  sense  of  his  misera- 
ble and  helpless  condition  makes  him  now  heart- 
ily willing  to  accept  aid  from  any  one  who  can 
relieve  him.  So  it  is  with  the  sinner ;  whilst  he 
imagines  that  his  own  arm  is  strong  enough, 
he  is  not  disposed  to  lean  upon  the  arm  of  an- 
other, and  while  he  thinks  he  can  save  himself, 
he  is  not  likely  to  prize  a  Saviour;  hence  the 
doctrine  which  teaches  him  that  he  is  a  poor, 
helpless  sinner,  and  that  he  lies  at  the  mercy 
of  God,  is  a  wholesome  doctrine.  It  is  this 
which  humbles  the  pride  of  the  sinner's  heart, 
and  which  best  disposes  him  to  cry  with  the 
Syrophenician  woman — "  Lord,  help  me!"  and 


272  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

with  Peter,  sinking  in  the  wave,  "  Lord,  save, 
or  I  perish." 

And  now,  let  us  pause  and  contemplate  the 
helpless  and  deplorable  condition  of  the  sin- 
ner, as  one  lying  low  in  the  ruins  of  the  fall. 
He  is  under  the  reigning  power  of  sin,  and  he 
cannot  break  the  reigning  power  of  sin.  He 
is  under  the  curse  of  God's  righteous  law,  and 
he  cannot  roll  away  the  curse  of  the  law.  His 
soul  is  unfit  for  heaven,  and  he  cannot  make  it 
fit ; — he  is  bound  over  to  wrath,  and  he  cannot 
help  himself  Aye,  he  is  in  a  state  of  nature 
and  of  sin,  and  his  heart  must  be  changed  or 
he  can  never  be  saved;  and  of  himself  he  can 
no  more  change  his  own  heart  than  he  can  roll 
a  mountain,  or  heave  an  ocean.  Yes,  I  repeat 
it,  although  it  is  the  sinner's  duty  and  interest 
to  come  to  Christ — and  although  he  must  come 
or  perish  everlastingly,  yet  such  is  the  deep 
depravity  of  the  sinner's  heart — such  the  reign- 
ing power  of  sin  in  his  bosom,  and  such  the 
dominion  of  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil, 
that  no  man  can  come  to  Christ  except  he  be 
divinely  drawn.  0  !  sinner,  believe  me,  you 
are  lost,  ruined,  and  undone !  You  lie  com- 
pletely at  the  mercy  of  God !  and  you  had  bet- 
ter suffer  the  tortures  of  martyrdom  than  do 
the  slightest  thing  to  offend  your  Maker. 
Hence  the  language  of  the  Apostle,  "  Quench 
not  the  Spirit!"  But  some  one  may  say. 
The  doctrine  of  the  sinner's  helplessness,   as 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  273 

stated,  destroys  all  human  responsibility.  Not 
so — we  insist  upon  it,  if  he  perishes  it  is  his 
own  fault.  I  will  explain  myself.  You  are  a 
master;  you  write  a  letter,  and  handing  it  to 
your  servant,  you  direct  him  to  take  it  to  a 
certain  person  on  the  other  side  of  the  river, 
and  bring  you  back  an  answer.  After  a  w^hile 
he  returns,  and  you  ask  him,  Did  you  take 
the  letter  over  the  river  as  I  directed  you? 
No,  sir.-  And  why?  Master,  I  could  not. 
And  why  could  you  not?  VVhy,  master,  I 
went  to  the  river ;  it  was  deep  and  rapid,  and 
there  was  no  bridge,  and  I  could  not  swim, 
so  I  did  not  go  over.  Did  you  call  for  the 
ferryman?  No,  sir.  Then  go  immediately 
back,  and  take  the  letter  over,  as  I  commanded 
you.  Now  this,  I  think,  is  a  correct  illustra- 
tion. There  is  something  about  the  passing 
of  that  river  which  the  servant  cannot  do,  no 
more  than  he  can  roll  a  mountain,  or  heave  an 
ocean,  and  yet  you  do  not  excuse  him.  Even 
so  in  this  matter.  The  sinner  is  utterly  un- 
able to  come  to  Christ,  or  change  his  own 
heart  of  himself.  There  is,  so  to  speak,  a 
broad  and  deep  river  betw^een  him  and  heaven, 
and  the  sinner  cannot  swim;  but,  thank  God, 
there  is,  if  I  may  so  express  myself,  a  heaven- 
ly ferryman  on  the  other  side.  Let  him  call 
upon  that  ferryman — as  it  is  wTitten,  "  Seek  ye 
the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found,  call  ye  upon 
him  while  he  is  near."     And  this  reminds  me 


274  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

of  a  remarkable  passage  in  Scripture,  "  Let 
him  take  hold  of  my  strength,  that  he  may 
make  peace  with  me,  and  he  shall  make  peace 
with  me."  Isa.  xxvii.  5.  Moreover,  it  falls  in 
precisely  with  this  language  of  the  Eternal 
God,  "  0  Israel,  thou  hast  destroyed  thyself, 
but  in  me  is  thine  help."  Hos.  xiii.  9.  But 
this  leads  to  my  last  general  remark : 

5.  There  is  a  divine  drawing;  and,  thank 
God,  the  doctrine  of  divine  drawing  is  as  clear- 
ly revealed  as  the  doctrine  of  man's  helpless 
and  ruined  condition  by  nature.  In  the  sacred 
volume  they  are  linked  together,  and  w^haf 
God  has  joined  together  let  no  man  put  asun- 
der. "  No  man,"  says  the  Saviour,  "  can  come 
to  me  except  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me 
draw  him."  This  language  clearly  implies 
that  there  is  such  a  thinor  as  divine  drawincr. 
We  may  not  be  able  to  understand  the  opera- 
tion fully,  and  I  believe  that  a  person  may  be 
under  this  system  of  divine  drawing  without 
being  fully  conscious  of  it,  for  oftentimes  the 
influences  of  the  Spirit  are  as  gentle  as  the 
dew.  There  is  such  a  thing  as  a  still  small 
voice,  as  well  as  the  strong  wind  which  rends 
the  mountains — and  the  earthquake  and  the 
fire.  Therefore,  although  we  may  not  be  able 
to  explain  the  mode  of  the  divine  operation, 
or  even  recognize  it  in  every  case,  yet  as  a 
fact,  or  doctrine  taught  in  the  Bible,  there  can 
be  no  doubt.  '^  Draw  me,"  says  the  spouse, 
in  the  Song  of  Solomon,  '*  Draw  me,  and  we 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  275 

will  run  after  thee."  "  I  have  loved  you  with 
an  everlasting  love,"  says  God,  in  the  book 
of  Jeremiah,  "therefore  with  loving  kindnesses 
have  I  drawn  thee."  ''  And  I,"  says  the  Sa- 
viour, "  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will 
draw  all  men  unto  me;" — and  in  Hosea  we 
find  this  lano-uage,  '*  I  drew  them  with  cords 
of  a  man,  with  bands  of  love." 

There  are  various  kinds  of  drawing,  both 
with  God  and  man;  and  objects  are  usually 
drawn  in  modes  and  forms  suited  to  the  na- 
ture of  the  object  drawn.  When  a  log  is  to  be 
drawn  to  a  certain  place,  a  chain  is  fastened  to 
it,  and  by  the  application  of  physical  force,  it 
is  drawn  to  the  place  intended.  I  hold  in  my 
hand  a  leaden  ball,  I  let  it  go,  and  it  falls  to  the 
ground,  drawn  by  the  power  of  gravitation, 
drawn  by  the  operation  of  a  certain  law  im- 
pressed upon  inanimate  matter  by  the  Creator. 
Again :  This  earth  moves  round  the  sun  once 
in  every  twelve  months;  and  how  is  this  ac- 
complished? It  is  drawn  around,  in  its  orbit, 
by  the  joint  action  of  two  forces,  the  centripetal 
and  centrifugal.  Thus,  we  see,  that  inanimate 
objects  are  moved,  or  drawn,  by  the  application 
of  physical  force,  and  the  operation  of  certain 
general  laws  of  nature.  But  man  is  not  inani- 
mate matter;  he  is  a  moral  and  intellectual 
being;  he  has  a  mind,  a  will,  a  conscience,  and 
a  heart,  and  he  is  drawn  by  another  set  of 
means  and  instrumentalities ;  he  has  an  under- 


276  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

standing,  and  he  can  feel  the  power  of  an  argu- 
ment ;  he  has  a  conscience,  and  he  can  feel  the 
force  of  an  appeal;  moreover,  he  has  certain 
affections  and  sensibilities,  and  these  can  be 
w^rought  upon  in  various  ways ;  and  hence  it  is 
written,  "  I  drew  them  with  cords  of  a  man, 
with  bands  of  love."  I  have  seen  men  going 
from  one  place  to  another,  and  even  hastening 
to  distant  and  sickly  climes,  drawn  by  a  love  of 
gain.  I  have  seen  wives  following  their  hus- 
bands, as  it  were,  all  the  world  over,  drawn  by 
affection  and  a  sense  of  duty ;  and  I  have  seen 
persons  hurrying  away  to  the  post  of  danger — 
braving  the  fury  and  storm  of  battle,  led  on  by 
patriotism,  and  sometimes  purely  by  ambition, 
or  a  desire  to  twine  laurels  around  their  brow. 
Here  is  a  crowd  gathered  together  in  the  house 
of  God  this  day — no  physical  force  was  applied, 
and  yet,  here  they  are,  drawn  as  effectually  as 
if  some  irresistible  physical  force  had  been 
brought  to  bear  upon  them.  Some  drawn  by 
a  sense  of  duty,  to  worship  God.  Some  drawn 
by  curiosity — they  heard  that  there  was  a  reli- 
gious excitement  in  the  place,  a  revival  of  reli- 
gion— and,  moreover,  that  a  stranger  was  ex- 
pected to  preach.  Their  curiosity  was  excited, 
and  it  has  succeeded  in  brino^inoc  them  here ! — 
And  some  are  present,  drawn,  as  I  hope,  by  a 
secret  desire  to  receive  spiritual  benefit.  They 
have  been,  it  may  be,  under  serious  impressions 
for  a  long  time.     They  desire  the  salvation  of 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  277 

their  souls,  and  having  heard  that,  within  a  few 
days  past,  several  persons  have  been  hopefully 
converted  here,  they  have  come,  if  perad  ven- 
ture, they  may  receive  the  same  blessing.  Well, 
they  are  here,  and  as  effectually  drawn  as  the 
log  spoken  of,  or  the  leaden  ball  to  the  surface 
of  the  earth  by  the  power  of  gravitation,  or  the 
earth  around  the  sun  by  the  action  of  the  two 
forces  already  mentioned.  Each  object  drawn, 
according  to  its  own  nature,  and  in  its  own 
way.  There  is  a  case  of  divine  drawing  in  the 
Scriptures  which  furnishes  a  good  illustration 
of  the  case  before  us — I  refer  to  the  case  of  the 
patriarch  Jacob,  drawn  down  into  Egypt.  If, 
when  quietly  and  pleasantly  settled  in  the  land 
of  Canaan,  some  one.had  said,  Jacob,  you  must 
go  down  into  Egypt,  methinks  he  would  have 
promptly  said.  Not  I ! — Here  are  my  posses- 
sions ;  my  flocks  and  my  herds ;  my  children 
and  my  grand-children,  are  also  with  me ;  and 
here,  too,  is  the  grave  of  Machpelah ;  here 
will  I  live  and  die,  and  here  will  I  be  gathered 
unto  my  fathers.  And  yet,  after  all,  he  went 
down  into  Egypt,  and  sojourned  there,  and 
died  there— and  no  violence  was  done  to  his 
will.  And  how  was  this  brought  about?  By 
a  remarkable  chain  of  providences.  The  pa- 
triarch had  twelve  sons — one,  named  Joseph, 
was  loved  more  than  they  all ;  and  the  patriarch 
made  him  a  coat  of  many  colours,  and  his  bre- 
thren envied  him,  and  could  not  speak  peace- 


278  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

ably  unto  him;  and  Joseph  dreamed  certam 
dreams,  and  told  them  unto  his  brethren,  and 
the  J  hated  him  still  more  on  account  of  his 
dreams ; — and  they  conspired  against  him,  and 
sold  him  to  certain  Midianite  merchantmen, 
who  carried  him  down  into  Egypt ;  and  there, 
after  many  wonderful  events,  Joseph  was  made 
governor  overall  the  land  of  Egypt ; — and  there 
was  a  famine  in  the  land,  and  it  spread  far  and 
wide,  and  reached  the  land  of  Canaan  where 
Jacob  was.  Hearing  that  there  was  corn  in 
Egypt,  he  sent  his  sons  down  into  Egypt  to 
obtain  supplies — again  he  sent  them,  and  when 
they  returned  the  second  time,  they  brought 
strange  tidings  to  the  patriarch's  ears,  saying, 
"  Thy  son  Joseph  is  alive,  and  he  is  governor 
over  all  the  land  of  Egypt!"  And  Jacob's 
heart  fainted,  for  he  believed  them  not;  and 
they  told  him  all  the  words  of  Joseph,  which 
he  had  said  unto  them ;  and  when  he  saw  the 
wagons  which  Joseph  had  sent  to  carry  him, 
the  spirit  of  Jacob  their  father  revived,  and 
Israel  said,  It  is  enough,  Joseph  my  son  is  yet 
alive,  I  will  go  and  see  him  before  I  die.  And 
accordingly  he  hastened  and  went  down  into 
Egypt ;  and  sure  I  am,  no  violence  was  done 
to  his  will.  He  never  went  to  any  place  more 
cheerfully  in  all  his  life ;  and,  verily,  nothing 
but  chains,  and  strong  chains,  could  have  pre- 
vented him  from  going  down  into  Egypt.  A 
powerful  magnet  w^as  there !    The  patriarch's 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  279 

long-lost,  beloved  Joseph  was  there,  and  his 
heart  yearned  toward  his  darling  child.  He 
longed  to  see  and  embrace  him  once  more ;  all 
his  reluctance  to  going  down  into  Egypt  is  re- 
moved, and  he  is  fully  set  upon  going  now. 
And  Israel  said,  "  It  is  enough,  Joseph  my  son 
is  yet  alive,  I  will  go  and  see  him  before  I  die." 
Thus,  without  any  violence  done  to  his  will,  he 
was  drawn  down  into  Egypt  with  cords  of  a 
man,  with  bands  of  love.  And  thus  sinners  are 
drawn  to  Christ.  They  are,  it  may  be,  in  the 
midst  of  worldly  enjoyments  and  possessions, 
and  are  quietly  settled  upon  their  lees.  They 
have  no  concern  about  their  souls,  nor  thought 
of  eternity.  In  the  midst  of  these  scenes  of 
worldly  contentment,  there  comes  a  famine  in 
the  land;  afflictions  come,  heavy,  grievous 
afflictions  come ;  they  meet  with  this  loss,  and 
that  disappointment;  this  darling  child  is  taken 
away,  and  that  beloved  companion  is  laid  in 
the  grave.  Ah !  the  world  now.  begins  to  lose 
its  charm,  and  earthly  sources  of  enjoyment  are 
drying  up,  this  child  of  affliction  is  brought  to 
see  the  vanity  of  the  world,  the  emptiness  and 
insufficiency  of  all  things  here  below,  and  the 
importance  of  securing  a  portion  better  than 
any  thing  the  world  can  give.  In  these  cir- 
cumstances, the  soul,  by  the  power  of  the 
spirit,  is  waked  up  to  the  high  claims  of  God 
and  eternity;  and  thus,  affliction  is  made  in- 
strumental in  drawing  the  soul  away  from  the 


280  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

vanities  of  the  world,  and  causing  it  to  rest 
upon  Christ  as  the  source  of  all  consolation, 
and  all  hope.  O  how  many  in  this  way  have 
sought  comfort  in  religion,  and  in  religion  have 
found  it !  "  It  is  good  for  me,"  says  the  Psalmist, 
"that  I  have  been  afflicted;  for,  before  I  was 
afflicted,  I  went  astray,  but  now  have  I  kept 
thy  law."  The  famine  in  the  land  of  Canaan 
was  sore,  but  it  brought  about  the  joy  of  meet- 
ing with  Joseph,  which  joy  the  patriarch  would 
probably  never  have  had  on  earth,  had  there 
been  no  famine  in  the  land.  So  some  are  by 
affliction  brought  to  Christ,  and  made  happy  in 
his  love,  who,  without  such  affliction,  had  in 
all  probability  perished  in  their  sin.  O  how 
many  in  the  bright  realms  of  bliss,  will,  upon 
reviewing  the  scenes  of  this  lower  state,  ex- 
claim with  gratitude  and  joy,  "  Sweet  afflic- 
tion !  blessed  affliction !  which  weaned  my 
heart  from  the  world,  and  led  me  to  my  Sa- 
viour and  my  God!" 

But  other  means  are  also  made  effectual  by 
the  spirit  of  God  in  bringing  about  the  same 
blessed  result.  The  sinner,  perhaps  by  the  in- 
strumentality of  some  awakening  sermon,  or 
some  religious  book,  or  some  friendly  letter,  or 
some  zealous  friend,  or  it  may  be,  some  sacra- 
mental or  death-bed  scene,  is  brought,  like  the 
Psalmist,  to  think  upon  his  ways,  and  turn  his 
feet  to  the  divine  testimonies.  His  understand- 
ing is  enlightened,  and  he  is  brought  to  see  the 


REVIVAL   SERMONS.  281 

reasonableness  of  the  claims  of  his  Maker,  and 
the  value  of  his  own  soul.  His  conscience  is 
troubled,  and  he  is  brought  to  see  that  he  is  a 
sinner,  and  justly  condemned  by  God's  righ- 
teous law.  Moreover,  he  has  a  heart,  and  ap- 
peals have  been  made  to  it,  drawn  from  the 
goodness  of  God,  shown  in  ten  thousand  things, 
and  the  love  of  Christ  in  dying  for  our  lost  and 
ruined  race.  And,  it  may  be,  the  law  has 
spoken  out  its  terrors  in  thunder  to  the  soul. 
In  short,  arguments,  appeals,  motives,  and  con- 
siderations of  various  kinds,  are  brought  to 
bear  upon  the  man  with  great  power.  The 
more  he  thinks,  the  more  anxious  he  becomes. 
He  sees  that  he  has  sinned  against  a  holy  God ; 
that  he  has  broken  God's  righteous  law,  and 
has  incurred  its  dreadful  penalty ;  that  he  can 
make  no  atonement  for  his  sins ;  and  that,  with- 
out a  Saviour,  he  must  perish  for  ever.  In  these 
circumstances,  Christ  is  held  out  to  him,  in  the 
gospel,  as  one  who  is  both  able  and  willing  to 
save  all  that  will  come  unto  him.  Lisfht  flows' 
in  upon  the  sinner's  mind,  his  heart  is  touched 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  his  will  is  subdued,  and 
he  is  both  persuaded  and  enabled  to  embrace 
Jesus  Christ  as  he  is  freely  offered  in  the  gos- 
pel. No  violence  is  done  to  the  sinner's  will. 
Interest,  duty,  love,  all  lead  him  to  the  feet  of 
his  blessed  Saviour,  whilst  he  cries  out — 
"Lord,  save,  or  I  perish!" — "Here,  Lord,  I 
give  myself  away,  'tis  all  that  I  can  do."    Or, 

19 


282  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

<'  Welcome,  welcome,  dear  Redeemer, 
Welcome  to  this  heart  of  mine  ; 
Lord,  I  make  a  full  surrender. 

Every  power  and  thought  be  thine, 

Thine  entirely — 
Through  eternal  ages  thine." 

Thus  the  sinner  is  drawn,  sweetly,  power- 
fully, effectually  drawn  to  Christ.  And,  so 
far  from  any  violence  having  been  done  to  his 
will,  his  whole  heart  is  in  the  matter.  He  goes 
to  Christ  as  freely,  and  cheerfully,  and  joyfully 
as  a  hungry  man  goes  to  a  banquet,  or  a  thirsty 
man  to  a  pool  of  water ;  or  rather,  as  the  man- 
slayer  into  the  city  of  refuge — or  he  that  is  ex- 
posed to  the  peltings  of  a  pitiless  storm  enters 
a  place  of  shelter. 

And  now,  my  dear,  unconverted  friends,  for- 
get not  the  things  w^hich  you  have  heard  this 
evening.  Remember,  it  is  your  duty  to  come 
to  Christ;  it  is  your  interest  to  come  to  Christ; 
and  you  absolutely  must  come  to  Christ,  or  you 
must  perish  for  ever.  And  0 !  remember  that 
whilst  these  things  are  so,  yet,  such  is  the  deep 
depravity  of  the  sinner's  heart,  and  such  the 
reigning  power  of  sin,  and  such  the  dominion 
of  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil,  that  no 
man  can  come  to  Christ  unless  he  be  divinely 
drawn.  O,  you  wdio  are  now  under  divine  in- 
fluences— you  wdio  are  under  conviction  of  sin, 
and  tremble  for  the  salvation  of  your  souls — 
and  you  who  are  sensible  that  the  world  can- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  283 

not  make  you  happy,  and  who  sigh  for  some- 
thing better  than  the  world  can  give,  remember 
you  are  now  under  the  influence  of  a  divine 
drawing;  beware  how  you  fight  against  your 
convictions;  beware  how  you  trifle  with  your 
serious  impressions;  beware  how  you  resist 
these  heavenly  drawings,  lest  they  cease,  and 
you  be  left  to  yourselves — and  what  then  ? 
Your  case  becomes  hopeless, !  you  are  lost  to 
all  eternity!  O,  quench  not  the  Spirit!  Be- 
ware, lest,  grieving  the  Spirit,  he  cease  to 
move  upon  your  heart,  and  you  become  har- 
dened. And  O,  think  what  it  is  to  be  hardened! 
It  is  to  have  all  the  moral  and  religious  sensi- 
bilities of  the  soul  deadened.  It  is  to  become 
reckless  and  unconcerned.  It  is  to  be  habitually 
in  such  a  frame  of  mind  that  there  are  no  com- 
punctions for  the  past — no  apprehensions  for 
the  future ; — deaf  to  all  the  calls  of  mercy, 
stupid  under  all  the  means  of  grace.  It  is  to 
be  habitually  in  such  a  frame  of  mind,  that  all 
promises  and  threatenings  are  alike  disre- 
garded, and  all  motives  and  appeals  equally 
unavailing.  As  the  dead  man  feels  not  the 
burning  of  the  coal  lodged  in  his  bosom,  nor 
the  flinty  rock  the  softening  influences  of  the 
showers  of  heaven,  even  so  it  is  with  him 
whose  heart  is  hardened.  He  may  be  in  the 
sanctuary,  but  the  most  pungent  discourses 
make  no  impression.  He  may  witness  sacra- 
mental scenes,  but  they  inspire  no  solemnity — 


284  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

even  funeral  rites  and  the  burial  of  the  dead 
affect  him  not.  Spread  before  him  the  glories 
of  heaven,  and  he  is  not  allured;  point  him  to 
the  torments  of  the  damned,  and  he  is  not 
alarmed.  Lead  him  to  Calvary,  and  talk  to 
him  about  the  love  of  Jesus  and  his  dying 
ao-onies,  and  he  is  as  insensible  as  steel. 
Friends  may  entreat,  but  he  heeds  not;  min- 
isters may  warn,  but  he  repents  not.  Others 
may  feel,  but  he  feels  not ;  others  may  weep, 
but  he  weeps  not.  He  is  hard  as  rock ;  or 
say, 

" Some  alarming  shock  of  fate 

Strikes  ihrougli  his  wounded  heart, 

The  sudden  dread!  another  moment,  and  alas! 

where  past  the  shaft  no  trace  is  found, 

As  from  the  wing  no  scar  the  sky  retains, 
The  parted  wave,  no  furrow  from  the  keel." 

The  rock  may  be  rived,  but  it  is  rock  still. 
It  may  be  broken  into  a  thousand  fragments, 
but  there  is  no  softening  yet;  and  so  it  is  with 
the  sinner,  when  the  drawings  of  heaven  re- 
sisted, and  the  Spirit  quenched,  the  sinner  is 
left  to  himself  and  becomes  incorrigible  and 
hardened — past  feeling  and  past  hope!  Let 
me  be  poor,  let  me  be  a  bondman,  let  me  be  a 
beggar,  but  let  me  not,  given  up  of  the  Spirit, 
be  a  hardened  sinner!  O  my  God,  cast  me  not 
away  from  thy  presence,  neither  take  thine 
holy  Spirit  from  me.  Fellow  sinner,  take  care 
what  you  do  just  now.     You  are  in  solemn  cir- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  285 

cumstances,  and  great  interests  are  at  stake! 
Many  of  you  are  under  the  influence  of  divine 
drawings  now,  and  some,  perhaps,  who  are  not 
fully  aware  of  it.     0  remember 

"  God's  Spirit  will  not  always  strive 
With  hardened  self-destroying  men; 
You  who  persist  his  love  to  grieve 
May  never  hear  his  voice  again !" 

O !  then,  let  me  exhort  you,  one  and  all,  to 
make  light  of  sacred  things  no  more.  They 
are  too  serious  to  be  trifled  with.  Heaven  and 
hell — eternal  life  and  eternal  death!  What 
more  rousing  themes  can  be  presented  to  the 
mind  of  man  ?  0 !  if  any  of  you  have  never 
yet  come  to  Christ,  let  me  entreat  you  to  come 
this  day — put  off  the  great  concern  no  longer. 
It  is  dangerous  to  delay.  Your  day  of  grace 
may  close  when  you  least  expect  it.  Only 
one  sin  more,  and  the  sentence  may  go  forth 
against  you,  "  Ephraim  is  joined  to  his  idols, 
let  him  alone !"  Yes,  only  one  sin  more  and 
divine  drawings,  in  your  case,  may  cease  for 
ever !  Here  is  a  beam  extending  over  a  pre- 
cipice, a  man  may  take  several  steps  upon  that 
beam,  but  there  is  one  point  upon  which,  if 
he  steps,  he  is  gone!  A  cord  may  sustain  a 
certain  weight — add  one  ounce  to  that  weight 
and  the  cord  breaks !  0 !  then,  beware  how 
you  take  another  step  in  the  road  to  death ! 
beware  how  you    add    another  sin  to  those 


286  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

already  committed !  and  beware  how  you  slight 
this,  which  may  be  your  last — ^last  call !  Fel- 
low man,  eternity  is  at  the  door.  You  need 
a  Saviour.  There  are  influences  now  in  ope- 
ration to  draw  you  to  this  Saviour.  For  hea- 
ven's sake — for  your  dear  sonls'  sake,  resist 
not  these  influences.  O  !  yield,  and  may  you 
this  day  find  Christ  precious  to  your  soul — 
even  the  chiefest  among  ten  thousand,  and  the 
one  altogether  lovely.     Amen. 


SERMON  XL 

VAIN  EXCUSES. 

Luke  xiv.  18. — And  they  all  with  one  consent  began  to  make 
excuse. 

Why,  my  brethren,  are  there  so  few  real  Chris- 
tians amongst  us?  The  fact  I  assume,  for  I 
suppose  it  will  not  be  denied.  Should  the 
angel  of  death  pass  through  the  length  and 
breadth  of  our  land,  and  sweep  into  the  grave 
all  the  careless,  and  all  the  prayerless,  and  re- 
turn and  sweep  into  the  grave  all  the  intempe- 
rate and  all  the  profane ;  and  return  and  take 
away  every  scoffer,  and  every  hypocrite — and 
return,  in  short,  and  take  away  every  impeni- 
tent and  unrenewed  sinner,  what  silence  would 
reign  in  our  streets !  what  solitude  would  exist 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  287 

in  our  dwellings !  and  how  thin  would  be  this 
congregation  !  Why  this  ? — why  so  few  real 
Christians?  Doubtless  there  are  many  reasons, 
such  as  pride,  worldly-mindedness,  and  a  want 
of  thought ;  but  certainly  one  reason  is  this,  a 
self-justifying  spirit,  prompting  the  impenitent 
to  make  vain  excuses.  This  morning  I  design 
to  examine  some  of  the  excuses  which  are  com- 
monly urged  by  the  unconverted,  for  neglecting 
to  obey  the  gospel  call.  Before  I-take  them  up, 
however,  I  would  observe,  that  there  is  a  gene- 
ral evidence  against  their  soundness,  arising 
from  some  remarkable  circumstances : — their 
number — their  easy  relinquishment — and  the 
representation  which  our  Saviour  gives  of  them 
in  the  parable  whence  we  have  derived  our 
text.  Their  number:  When  a  person  is  asked 
to  do  a  thing,  which  he  does  not  choose  to  do, 
and  yet  desires  to  keep  up  fair  appearances,  he 
is  very  apt  to  make  a  great  many  excuses,  as  if 
he  would  make  up  in  number  what  is  wanting 
in  the  value  of  his  excuses.  Precisely  so  with 
regard  to  the  sinner :  Here  is  an  unconverted 
man,  and  I  say  to  him.  My  dear  sir,  I  am  aston- 
ished that  a  man  of  your  good  sense,  should 
neglect  the  salvation  of  your  soul.  Certainly 
you  must  admit  it  to  be  a  matter  of  great  im- 
portance, why  then  do  you  neglect  it?  He 
makes  one  excuse ;  before  he  allows  me  time  to 
meet  that  excuse,  he  abandons  it  for  another, 
and  that  for  another;  and  thus  he  goes  on,  re- 


288  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

treating,  through  the  whole  round  of  his  ex- 
cuses. This,  I  say,  is  a  very  suspicious  cir- 
cumstance: if  that  man  had  a  single  excuse, 
which  he  really  believed  to  be  substantial, 
would  he  not  hold  it  fast?  but  not  having  any 
in  which  he  has  much  confidence,  he  adds  one 
to  another,  as  if,  as  already  said,  he  would  make 
up  in  number  what  is  wanting  in  the  value  of 
his  excuses.  Again :  Here  is  another  man,  he 
has  twenty  reasons  for  neglecting  to  obey  the 
gospel  call.  Let  some  alarming  disease  seize 
upon  him,  and  he  forgets  one  half  of  them — let 
death  look  him  in  the  face,  he  forgets  the  other 
half!  O,  these  shadowy  excuses !  If  they  can- 
not stand  in  the  presence  of  disease  and  death, 
how  can  they  stand  in  the  presence  of  the  final 
judge  of  all  mankind? 

But  the  representation  which  our  Saviour 
gives  of  them,  is  conclusive  against  the  sound- 
ness of  all  the  sinner's  excuses :  a  certain  man, 
says  he,  made  a  great  supper,  and  sent  his  ser- 
vant, at  supper  time,  to  say  to  them  that  were 
bidden,  "Come,  for  all  things  are  now  ready: 
and  they  all,  with  one  consent,  began  to  make 
excuse."  And  pray,  what  were  these  excuses? 
"The  first  said,  I  have  bought  a  piece  of  ground, 
and  I  must  needs  go  and  see  it ;  I  pray  thee 
have  me  excused."  Observe!  He  was  invited 
to  come  at  supper  time !  Now  supper-time,  I 
should  think  rather  an  indifferent  time  to  see  the 
ground !  and  yet  no  time  but  supper-time  will 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  289 

suit  him  to  see  the  ground !  "  And  another  said, 
I  have  bought  five  yoke  of  oxen,  and  I  go  to 
prove  them;  I  pray  thee,  have  me  excused." 
Now,  if  he  had  bought  the  oxen,  the  bargain 
was  closed — at  any  rate,  any  planter,  any  man, 
in  his  senses,  knows  full  well,  that  supper-time 
is  not  the  best  time  to  prove  oxen — yet  no  time 
can  he  fix  upon  to  prove  these  oxen  but  supper 
time !  "  And  another  said,  I  have  married  a  wife, 
and  therefore  I  cannot  come."  Where  was  the 
man  invited  to  go?  To  a  funeral?  No!  To  hear 
a  dull  lecture?  No !  Where  then?  To  a  feast! — 
and  where  could  a  new-married  couple  go  with 
greater  propriety,  than  to  a  feast?  And  yet 
this  is  his  excuse — "  I  have  married  a  wife,  and 
therefore  I  cannot  come."  This  is  a  very  re- 
markable parable.  It  was  uttered  by  our  Lord, 
who  knew  what  was  in  man ;  and  knew,  full 
well,  how  to  represent  the  true  character  of  the 
sinner's  excuses,  and  here  he  does  it  to  the  life 
and  admiration,  in  this  truly  remarkable  para- 
ble. And  now,  God  helping  me,  I  will  en- 
deavour this  morning,  to  show  that  the  excuses 
commonly  urged  by  the  sinner  for  neglecting 
to  obey  the  gospel  call,  are  not  a  whit  better 
than  they  are  represented  to  be  in  this,  as  I 
have  said,  truly  remarkable  parable. 

1.  The  Bible  is  so  full  of  mystery  I  can- 
not understand  it. — The  Bible  so  full  of  mys- 
tery !    Just  as  if  the  Bible  was  nothing  in  the 


290  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

world  but  a  bundle  of  riddles !  No  plain  doc- 
trine, no  plain  precept,  no  plain  promise,  no 
plain  threatening — nothing  plain!  Is  this  in- 
genuous ?  Is  this  true  ?  The  Bible  says — "  Ex- 
cept ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish." 
Is  not  this  plain?  The  Bible  says — "  He  that 
believe th  not  shall  be  damned."  Would  the 
sinner  wish  any  thing  plainer  than  this  ?  The 
Bible  says — It  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  wor^ 
thy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  even  the  chief 
of  sinners.  Now  this  is  not  only  remarkably 
beautiful,  it  is  remarkably  plain.  Even  the 
child  of  six  years  of  age,  can  understand  it 
perfectly  well,  and  yet  the  man  says,  the  Bi- 
ble is  so  full  of  mystery  I  cannot  understand 
it !  Ah !  we  all  see  it  clearly.  It  amounts  to 
this:  I  have  bought  a  piece  of  ground,  and  I 
must  needs  go  and  see  it  at  supper-time.  But 
another  comes  forward  with  this  excuse, 

2.  Religion  is  a  gloomy  thing,  it  has  no 
charms  for  me. — Thank  God,  there  are  many, 
both  in  heaven  and  earth,  who  think  very 
differently.  I  never  heard  that  religion  ever 
abridged  one's  happiness  in  health,  or  sadden- 
ed one's  heart  in  sickness,  or  lay  heavy  upon 
one's  soul  in  death.  But  I  think  that  I  have 
heard  that  the  want  of  religion  extorted  a  cry 
of  agony  from  the  dying  sinner.  Religion  a 
gloomy  thing ! — ^lias  no  charms  for  you !    Look 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  291 

at  the  young  convert,  how  his  eyes  sparkle ! 
how  every  feature  beams  with  joy!  Hark, 
how  his  tongue  breaks  out  in  songs  of  praise : 

"  When  God  revealed  his  gracious  name, 
And  changed  my  mournful  state. 
My  rapture  seemed  a  pleasing  dream 
The  grace  appeared  so  great ! 

Great  is  the  work  my  neighbours  cried. 

And  owned  the  power  divine  ; 
Great  is  the  work  my  heart  replied, 

And  be  the  glory  thine  !" 

But  suppose  there  be  no  rapture,  the  young 
convert  has  a  sweet  complacency  in  Christ — a 
heavenly  calm,  and  the  peace  of  God,  which 
passeth  all  understanding,  and  which  he  would 
not  exchange  for  "all  that  the  world  calls  good 
or  great."  It  must  be  so,  for  what  does  reli- 
gion do  for  us?  It  gives  us  a  scriptural  as- 
surance that ,  our  sins  are  all  forgiven  for  Je- 
sus' sake.  Is  there  any  thing  in  this  to  sad- 
den the  heart?  It  gives  us  the  scriptural 
assurance  that  the  great  God  of  the  universe 
is  our  reconciled  God  and  Father  in  Christ. 
Is  there  any  thing  in  this  to  damp  the  warm 
feelings  of  the  soul?  It  gives  us,  moreover, 
the  blessed  assurance  that  heaven  is  our  home; 
that  angels  are  to  be  our  future  companions; 
nay,  that  we  ourselves  are  to  be  as  angels  in 
the  world  to  come.  I  confess  I  can  see  nothing 
in  this  to  sink  the  spirits,  or  spread  any  thing 


292  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

like  gloom  over  the  mind.  All!  but  you  say, 
If  I  become  a  Christian  I  shall  have  to  give 
up  all  the  pleasures  of  the  world.  You  are 
called  upon  to  give  up  no  pleasures  that  are 
really  innocent;  and  can  you  wish  to  indulge 
in  those  which  are  not?  Here  also  it  must  be 
remembered,  that  true  religion  is  a  renovating 
principle.  It  changes  the  heart — the  whole 
current  of  the  soul,  so  that  a  person  even  in 
fashionable  life,  or  in  the  full  indulgence  of  sin 
of  any  kind,  when  soundly  converted,  can  give 
up  sinful  pleasures  without  a  sigh,  and  take 
up  religious  duties  with  real  joy ;  for,  says  the 
Saviour,  "  My  yoke  is  easy  and  my  burden  is 
light."  And  again,  "  There  is  no  man  that 
hath  left  house,  or  parents,  or  brethren,  or 
wife,  or  children,  for  the  kingdom  of  God's 
sake,  who  shall  not  receive  manifold  more  in 
this  present  time,  and  in  the  world  to  come 
life  everlasting."  So  that,  in  relation  to  real 
pleasure,  as  well  as  in  relation  to  other  mat- 
ters, it  may  truly  be  said,  "  Godliness  is  pro- 
fitable unto  all  things,  having  promise  of  the 
life  which  now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to 
come.".  Yes,  it  is  even  so,  and  the  verdict  of 
thousands  and  millions,  is  this — 

"  'Tis  religion  that  must  give 
Sweetest  pleasures  whilst  we  live : 
'Tis  religion  must  supply- 
Solid  comfort  when  we  die." 


REVIVAL    SERMONS,  293 

O,  worldlings!  believe  me,  you  are  wrong. 
You  are  seeking  happiness  in  the  world.  It  is 
but  a  beggarly  portion  for  an  immortal  soul. 
Has  it  ever  yet  made  you  happy?  No!  and 
it  never  will,  it  never  can.  And  let  these  words 
sink  down  into  your  ears — you  will  never  know 
what  true  happiness  is  until  you  are  converted, 
and,  if  never  converted,  you  will  never  know 
it,  world  without  end.  But  suppose  that  reli- 
gion did  make  one  sad  and  gloomy  on  earth 
(which  we  utterly  deny),  would  it  not  be  bet- 
ter, after  all,  to  be  a  sad  and  gloomy  child  of 
God  than  a  thoughtless  and  merry  child  of  the 
devil  ?  Would  it  not  be  better  to  go  to  heaven 
in  a  thorny  way,  than  to  go  hell  in  a  waiy 
all  strewed  with  flowers?  Then  what  becomes 
of  the  second  excuse?  It  amounts  to  this — I 
have  bought  five  yoke  of  oxen,  and  I  go  to 
prove  them  at  supper  time. 

3.  A  third  excuse  is  this :  If  I  am  elected  to 
be  saved  I  shall  be  saved,  do  what  I  will,  and 
if  not,  I  cannot,  do  what  I  may.  This  is  the 
sheet-anchor  of  many,  their  strong-hold,  that 
upon  which  they  are  disposed  to  rest  with  more 
confidence  perhaps  than  any  other;  and  after 
all,  if  I  mistake  not,  it  amounts  to  this :  I  have 
married  a  wife,  and  therefore  I  cannot  come. 
It  is  but  an  excuse,  and  not  good,  for  tw^o  rea- 
sons— (1.)  Because  it  involves  an  absurdity; 
and,  (2.)  Because  it  is  not  acted  upon  in  cases 
exactly  similar. 


294  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

(1.)  It  involves  an  absurdity,  for  it  amounts 
to  this :  What  is  to  come  to  pass  will  come  to 
pass,  whether  we  have  any  agency  in  the  mat- 
ter or  not.  Now  the  absurdity  lies  here — it 
supposes  the  accomplishment  of  an  event,  with- 
out the  very  means  by  which  the  event  is  to  be 
accomplished.  As  if  I  should  say.  If  I  am  to 
go  to  London,  why,  certainly,  I  shall  go  to 
London,  whether  I  embark  on  board  of  a  vessel 
or  not;  or,  if  we  are  to  have  a  pleasant  day  to- 
morrow, assuredly  we  shall  have  a  pleasant  day 
to-morrow,  whether  the  sun  rises  or  not.  Ab- 
surdity, you  perceive,  is  stamped  upon  the  face 
of  the  thing.  Those  who  reach  London,  must 
pHss  over  the  ocean,  and  if  there  be  a  pleasant 
day  to-morrow,  the  sun  must  rise.  So  those 
who  are  elected  to  everlasting  salvation,  as  the 
end,  must  be  prepared  for  it  by  the  sanctifica- 
tion  of  the  Spirit,  and  belief  of  the  truth  as  the 
necessary  means  for  the  attainment  of  that  end. 
God  has  connected  the  end  and  the  means,  and 
what  God  hath  joined  together,  let  not  man 
put  asunder. 

(2.)  The  excuse  urged  is  not  a  good  one,  be- 
cause it  is  not  acted  upon  in  cases  very  similar. 
Does  this  planter  say — If  I  am  to  have  a  crop 
this  year,  I  shall  have  a  crop  this  year,  whether 
I  cultivate  my  grounds  or  not  ?  I  suspect  he 
does  not  say  this.  Does  this  other  man  say — 
If  I  am  to  be  rich,  I  shall  be  rich  whether  I 
make  any  effort  or  not?     Certainly  he  does 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  295 

not  say  so.  Does  this  sick  man  say — If  I  am 
to  get  well,  I  shall  get  well  whether  I  take  any 
medicine  or  not?  O  no!  he  does  not  say  so, 
and  yet  all  these  might  say  so,  for  I  have  heard 
of  grounds  producing  crops  without  any  culti- 
vation; and  I  have  heard  of  persons  becoming 
rich  without  any  effort.  Aye,  and  I  have  heard 
of  sick  persons  getting  well  without  any  medi- 
cine, but  never  have  I  heard  of  man  or  woman 
finding  the  straight  gate  without  seeking  it,  or 
getting  into  the  narrow  way  without  effort. 
And  here  I  would  remark,  that  there  is  a  pass- 
age of  Scripture  just  in  point.  Job,  speaking 
of  man's  temporal  life,  or  the  life  of  his  body, 
says — "His  days  are  determined,  the  number  of 
his  months  are  with  thee;  thou  hast  appointed 
his  bounds  that  he  cannot  pass."  Job  xiv.  5. 
Here  we  are  taught  that  the  life  of  man  is  in 
God's  hand;  that  according  to  the  divine  pur- 
pose, some  die  young,  and  some  are  elected  to 
old  age.  In  this  matter  God  acts  as  a  sovereign 

CD  D 

God,  and  so  also  in  the  other  case,  and 

"  Not  Gabriel  asks  the  reason  why, 
Nor  God  ihe  reason  gives." 

And  what  then,  does  the  sick  man  say  ?  My 
days  are  determined,  I  wdll  send  for  no  physi- 
cian; the  number  of  my  months  is  with  him; 
I  will  take  no  medicine;  he  has  appointed  the 
bounds  of  my  life,  that  I  cannot  pass,  I  will 
therefore  do  nothing;   if  I  am  to  die  of  this 


296  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

disease,  I  must  die,  do  what  I  will ;  and  if  not, 
I  cannot,  do  what  I  may.  Does  he  say  this? 
No !  he  does  not,  but  rather  he  reasons  thus : 
I  know  that  God,  as  an  infinite  being,  must 
know  all  things,  and  of  course  must  know  the 
day  of  my  death ;  but  I  know  also,  and  I  have 
frequently  observed,  that  there  is  a  connexion 
between  the  means  and  the  end — I  have  seen 
persons  dying,  evidently  for  want  of  medical 
aid,  and  I  have  seen  some  persons  at  the  point 
of  death,  restored  to  health,  evidently  by  medi- 
cal skill.  This  is  enough  for  me ;  secret  things 
belong  unto  God.  I  see  that  in  all  things  there 
is  a  manifest  and  close  connexion  between  the 
means  and  the  end.  This  is  sufficient. — Now 
this  is  all  perfectly  rational  and  right  in  the  one 
case,  why  should  it  not  be  acted  upon  in  the 
other.  The  grand  reason  I  suspect  is  this :  The 
sinner  had  rather  cavil,  than  repent — much 
rather  make  excuse,  than  give  up  sin.  But 
while  I  am  upon  the  subject  of  election,  or  the 
decrees  of  God,  take  a  Jewish  story  : — "  Rabbi 
Hillel  sat  in  the  chair  of  Moses;  his  fame  for 
wisdom  and  sanctity  was  spread  far  and  wide. 
If  the  Messiah  were  known  to  be  upon  the 
earth.  Rabbi  Hillel  would  have  been  taken  for 
the  Messiah ;  but  every  man  at  his  best  estate 
is  altogether  vanity.  Rabbi  Hillel  wished  to 
understand  the  mystery  of  the  divine  decrees. 
To  prepare  himself  for  meditation  so  deep  and 
profound,  he  spent  two  days  in  fasting  and  in 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  297 

prayer;  on  the  third,  he  ascended  the  top  of 
Mount  Carmel;  there  his  gigantic  mind  endea- 
voured to  grasp  the  mighty  theme,  but  his 
thoughts  rolled  back  upon  his  breast  like  stones 
from  the  top  of  Gerizim.  At  length,  wearied 
by  his  fruitless  inquiries,  by  chance  he  turned 
his  eye  toward  a  spot  of  earth  where  some- 
thing appeared  to  be  moving.  It  was  a  mole, 
that  havino^  heard  that  there  was  such  a  thins: 
as  light,  and  forgetting  the  weakness  of  its  own 
organs  of  vision,  longed  to  look  upon  the  sun  in 
all  its  brightness  and  glory.  Scarcely,  however, 
had  he  left  his  subterranean  abode,  when,  daz- 
zled by  the  overwhelming  effulgence  of  the  sun, 
he  wished  himself  back  again ;  but,  before  he 
could  effect  his  retreat,  an  eagle  hovering  over, 
flew  down,  seized  the  mole  with  her  talons  and 
flew  over  the  valley  of  the  son  of  Hinnom. 
'  Blessed  be  the  God  of  my  fathers,'  exclaimed 
Rabbi  Hillel,  as  he  beheld  the  scene  that  passed 
before  his  eyes,  'Blessed  be  the  God  of  my 
fathers,  w^ho  by  this  little  incident  has  taught 
his  servant  wisdom — not  to  be  too  anxious  to 
explore  mysteries  which  are  too  deep  for  hu- 
man comprehension.'  " 

My  brethren,  listen !  The  grand  inquiry  for 
such  creatures  as  we  are  is,  not  whether  we 
can  understand  all  parts  of  the  scheme  of  re- 
demption, but  whether  there  is  such  a  scheme, 
whereby  the  sinner  may  be  saved.  Not  whe- 
ther two  or  three  doctrines  in  the  Bible  are 

20 


298  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

hard  to  be  understood,  but  whether  the  Bible 
itself  which  contains  these  doctrines  be  the 
word  of  God  ?  Not  whether  we  are  of  the 
elect  or  reprobate,  but  whether  we  are  sinners, 
and  need  the  salvation  of  Christ  ?  for  it  is  re- 
markable, the  very  same  Bible  which  asserts 
the  sovereignty  of  God,  also  asserts  the  free 
agency  of  man.  The  very  same  Bible  which 
says — whom  God  foreknew,  them  he  also  pre- 
destinated to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of 
his  Son,  also  says — "Whosoever  will,  let  him 
take  of  the  waters  of  life  freely."  Prying  into 
deep  mysteries  may  do  us  as  much  injury  as 
gazing  upon  the  sun  did  the  mole,  whose  or- 
gans of  vision  could  not  bear  the  splendours  of 
that  bright  orb  of  day.  Let  us,  then,  never 
perplex  ourselves  with  those  things  which  are 
too  deep  for  us  to  fathom  ;  but  let  us  bless  God 
that,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  "It  is  a 
faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation, 
that  Christ  Jesus  came '  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners,  even  the  chief"  Yes,  instead  of  per- 
plexing ourselves  with  things  too  high  and 
deep  for  us,  let  us  endeavour  by  grace  divine 
to  obtain  an  experimental  knowledge  of  those 
plainer  doctrines  which  are  able  to  make  us 
wise  unto  salvation — able  to  bring  us  to  the 
Avorld  of  light  and  glory,  where  we  shall  no 
more  complain  of  intellectual  darkness,  for  there 
shall  be  no  night  there !  But  another  excuse 
frequently  urged  is  this  : 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  299 

4.  Professors  of  religion  are  no  better  than 
other  persons. — Now  this  is  either  true,  or  it 
is  not  true.  If  true,  these  professors  of  reh- 
gion  are  not  Christians;  for,  if  Christians, 
they  must  have  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  who 
will  say  that  a  man  may  have  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  and  yet  be  no  better  than  those  who 
have  not?  But  even  admit  that  professors  of 
religion  are  no  better  than  other  people.  Sup- 
pose they  are  all  a  set  of  hypocrites,  not  ex- 
cepting your  own  mother,  what  of  that  ?  Will 
that  make  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible  less  true? 
— the  precepts  less  binding? — the  promises  less 
encouraginsf  ? — the  threatenino^s  less  alarming? 
Suppose  they  are  all  hypocritical,  hollow- 
hearted  professors,  will  that  blot  out  this  pas- 
sage of  Scripture,  "Except  ye  repent  ye 
sViall  all  likewise  perish"  ?  Or  this,  "  He  that 
believeth  not  shall  be  damned"  ?  Or  this,  "  Ex- 
cept a  man  be  born  again  he  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  of  God"?  You  stumble  at  the  in- 
consistent walk  of  professors  of  religion ;  and 
alas!  that  you  should  have  so  much  occasion! 
but  their  sins  cannot  justify  you  in  the  day  of 
accounts.  Even  their  righteousness  cannot  do 
it — how  much  less  their  sins.  You  talk  about 
the  inconsistent  walk  of  professors  of  religion, 
and  did  not  the  Saviour  predict  the  very  thing? 
"  Wo  to  the  world  because  of  offences,"  says 
he,  "  it  must  needs  be  that  offences  come,  but 
wo  to  that  man  by  whom  the  offence  cometh." 


300  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

Leave  tliem  in  the  hands  of  God :  he  will  by 
no  means  suffer  them  to  go  unpunished;  but, 
if  you  be  a  sinner  too — dying  in  that  state,  is 
there  not  to  be  a  reckoning  with  you  also  ?  It 
is  admitted  that  inconsistent,  hollow-hearted 
professors  of  religion  are  stumbling  blocks  in 
the  way  of  salvation,  but  if  there  were  stum- 
bling blocks  in  your  M^ay  to  a  golden  mine, 
would  those  stumbling  blocks  keep  you  from 
rushing  to  that  golden  mine  ?  And  is  not  the 
salvation  of  your  precious  soul  worth  infinitely 
more  than  all  the  treasures  of  a  golden  mine? 
Ah !  my  friend,  believe  me,  your  excuse  is  not 
a  good  one.  It  amounts  to  this — I  have  bought 
a  piece  of  ground,  and  must  needs  go  and  see 
see  it,  at  supper  time!     But  a 

5th  Excuse  is  this:  "There  are  so  many 
different  denominations  of  Christians,  I  do  not 
know  which  is  the  right  one." — So  many  dif- 
ferent denominations !  There  are,  perhaps,  one 
hundred  more  than  you  ever  dreamed  of,  unless 
you  have  read  largely  upon  the  subject — and 
what  of  that?  Does  that  make  your  soul  less 
valuable  ?  or  a  Saviour  less  needful  ?  or  heaven 
less  glorious  ?  or  hell  less  terrible  ?  or  eternity 
less  awful  ?  So  many  different  denominations ! 
And  do  not  most  of  them  agree  in  essential 
matters  ?  The  Apostle  says,  "  Grace  be  with 
all  them  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
sincerity."  Mark,  he  does  not  say,  grace  be 
with  all  them  that  think  alike  in  every  matter — 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  301 

for  however  desirable  this  may  be,  it  is  by  no 
means  essential  to  salvation — but  "grace  be 
with  all  them  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
in  sincerity."  And  again,  says  he,  **  As  many 
as  walk  according  to  this  rule,  peace  be  on 
them,  and  mercy,  and  upon  the  Israel  of  God  :" 
that  is,  as  many  as  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  a 
new  and  regenerate  nature,  peace  be  upon 
them.  So  many  different  denominations  of 
Christians !  They  are  like  the  different  colours 
which  constitute  the  beauteous  rainbow  upon 
the  body  of  the  dark  cloud — like  the  different 
parts  in  music — the  tenor  and  the  counter,  the 
treble  and  the  base — ^like  the  radii  of  a  circle 
of  which  Jesus  Christ  is  the  centre,  and  the 
nearer  they  come  to  the  centre,  the  nearer  they 
come  to  each  other ! — or  rather,  may  I  not  say, 
that  they  are  like  the  different  companies  which 
compose  the  grand  army  in  time  of  war.  Sup- 
pose the  powers  of  Europe  should  combine 
against  the  liberties  of  our  beloved  country — 
and,  sending  over  their  multitudinous  and  well 
disciplined  troops,  should  threaten  to  sweep 
away  our  republican  institutions.  The  fact  is 
announced  and  war  proclaimed  by  our  federal 
government — what  a  marshalling  of  the  forces 
for  battle!  On  every  hand  you  hear  the  sound  of 
the  heart  stirring  drum,  and  the  trumpet  of  war, 
calling  the  freemen  of  America  to  the  tented 
field.  What  a  scene  is  presented  !  See,  on  yon- 
der mountain  wave,  there  floats  the  gallant  navy 


302  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

of  my  country,  prepared  with  her  thunder  to 
repel  the  invading  foe,  or  sink  into  the  ocean's 
depths  !  And  see,  on  the  land,  how  they  come ! 
how  they  crowd  in  from  all  parts  of  this  great 
confederacy ! — Are  they  all  horsemen?  are  they 
all  infantry  ?  are  they  all  riflemen  ?  are  they  all 
artillerists  ?  Have  they  all  the  same  weapons 
of  war  ?  have  they  all  the  same  uniform  ?  What 
an  endless  variety  prevails,  and  yet  what  unity ! 
This  great  army  of  American  patriots  is  com- 
posed of  many,  very  many,  companies.  Each 
company  has  its  own  officers,  its  own  regi- 
mentals, its  own  weapons  of  war,  and  its  own 
mode  of  warfare — aye,  and  each  company  has 
its  own  little  flag,  too;  but  see!  the  star 
spangled  banner  of  my  country  waves  over 
them  all !  Yes,  the  star  spangled  banner  of 
my  country  waves  over  yonder  gallant  navy, 
upon  the  mountain  wave,  prepared  to  repel 
the  invading  foe,  or  sink  into  the  ocean's 
depths!  The  star  spangled  banner  of  my 
country  waves  over  the  land  army  in  all  its 
variety,  prepared  to  repel  the  invading  foe,  or 
bite  the  earth  in  death!  Even  so,  what  are 
the  different  denominations  of  real  Ciiristians, 
but  the  different  companies  which  compose  the 
grand  army  of  Immanuel? — the  sacramental 
host  of  God's  elect?  Each  denominatiou,  so 
to  speak,  may  have  its  own  officers,  regi- 
mentals, and  weapons  of  war — aye,  and  each 
may  have  its  own  little  flag,  too ; — but,  mark ! 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  303 

the  blood  stained  banner  of  the  cross — the  bond 
of  union  for  every  pious  heart,  waves  over 
them  all!  Let  the  sinner,  then,  do  vi^hat  he 
ought  to  have  done  long  time  ago;  let  him 
repent  of  his  sins,  and  yield  his  heart  to  the 
blessed  Redeemer;  and,  although  not  falling 
precisely  into  oiir  ranks,  I  for  one,  (and  I  am 
sure  I  speak  the  sentiments  of  very  man}^)  I 
for  one,  can  most  cordially  give  him  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship,  and  say,  Is  Christ  pre- 
cious to  your  soul  ?  Does  his  banner  wave 
over  you?  God  speed  thee,  my  brother,  in  thy 
holy  warfare !  God  speed  thee  in  thy  journey 
to  the  skies!  Press  on!  We  differ  in  some 
things,  but  we  agree  in  all  essential  matters ! — 
we  differ  in  some  things,  but  we  are  all  mem- 
bers of  the  same  household  of  faith,  bought 
with  the  same  precious  blood,  sanctified  by  the 
same  Divine  Spirit,  and  all  passing  through  one 
beauteous  gate  to  one  eternal  home !  Press  on, 
my  brother,  we  shall  soon  meet  in  heaven,  and 
there  see  eye  to  eye;  shall  soon  meet  in  our 
own  Father's  house  above,  and  there  salute 
each  other  as  fellow  immortals,  and  as  brethren 
redeemed !  And  now  what  has  become  of  the 
excuse  about  so  many  different  denominations? 
It  has  vanished  into  air — it  is  frivolous — it 
amounts  to  this :  "I  have  bought  five  yoke  of 
oxen,  and  I  go  to  prove  them"  at  supper  time! 
I  pray  thee  have  me  excused.  In  other  words, 
it  speaks  this  language — I  don't  choose  to  go ! 


304  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

But  the  same  person,  it  may  be,  brings  forward 
this  excuse, 

6.  ''What  harm  have  I  done?  I  don't 
think  that  I  am  any  great  sinner.  I  have 
injured  no  man.  I  have  defrauded  no  man. 
I  have  murdered  no  man.  I  am  not  covetous, 
I  am  not  profane,  I  am  not  a  gambler,  nor 
a  drunkard.  I  pay  all  my  just  debts;  I  am 
kind  to  the  poor ;  I  go  to  church ;  and  I  sub- 
scribe to  many  of  the  benevolent  and  chari- 
table institutions  of  the  day." — Well,  be  it  so. 
Suppose  you  are  what  the  world  calls  a  good 
kind  of  a  moral  man ;  and  do  you  ask  what 
harm  have  you  done  ?  and  whom  have  you  in- 
jured ?  You  have  failed  to  love  the  Lord  your 
God ;  and  is  this  no  harm  ?  You  have  turned 
your  back  upon  a  dying  Saviour,  and  have 
even  trampled  upon  his  precious  blood ;  and  is 
this  no  harm?  You  have  grieved  the  Spirit  of 
God,  and  it  may  be,  have  broken  many  solemn 
vows;  and  is  this  no  harm?  You  hav6  not  re- 
membered the  Sabbath  day,  to  keep  it  holy 
you  have  not  improved  your  great  privileges 
you  have  wasted  much  of  our  precious  time 
you  have  indulged  evil  thoughts,  harboured 
rebellious  feelings,  encouraged  improper  de- 
sires— and  is  this  no  harm?  You  have  sinned 
against  light  and  against  love :  against  the  law 
and  against  the  gospel :  against  the  admoni- 
tions of  God's  word,  the  strivings  of  the  Divine 
Spirit,  and  against  the  remonstrances  of  your 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  305 

own  conscience.  You  are  guilty  of  sins  of 
omission  and  of  commission  :  sins  of  thought, 
of  word,  and  deed,  and  that  times  and  ways 
without  number.  In  short,  the  charge  brought 
against  Belshazzar,  on  the  very  night  in 
which  he  was  slain,  may  be  brought  against 
you: — "The  God  in  whose  hands  thy  breath 
is,  and  whose  are  all  thy  ways,  hast  thou  not 
glorified."  And  now,  upon  thy  soul  the  in- 
scription is  written — ^^Tekel,  thou  art  weighed 
in  the  balances  and  art  found  wanting."  And 
yet  do  you  say,  what  harm  have  I  done  ?  and 
whom  have  I  injured  ?  O,  could  you  see  your 
sins  as  God  sees  them,  or  as  they  are  likely  to 
come  rolling  over  your  soul  in  a  dying  hour, 
or  certainly  in  the  great  judgment  day,  me- 
thinks,  instead  of  saying.  What  harm  have  I 
done,  and  whom  have  I  injured,  you  would 
say,  Innumerable  evils  have  compassed  me 
about ;  my  sins  have  gone  over  my  head  as  a 
cloud;  they  are  a  burden  too  heavy  for  me; 
and  with  the  publican  you  would  cry — "  God 
be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner."  O,  remember 
that  it  is  written,  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that 
continueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book 
of  the  law  to  do  them."  And  whilst  you  are 
relying  upon  your  own  righteousness,  remem- 
ber also  the  w^ords  of  the  holy  Apostle,  "  Other 
foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  is  laid,  which 
is  Jesus  Christ."  Your  excuse,  then,  is  a  vain 
one;  it  will  not  stand.     Be  assured,  God,  your 


306  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

judge,  will  not  receive  it.  It  is  one  of  those 
refuges  of  lies  spoken  of  in  the  Scriptures  which 
the  hail  shall  sweep  away.  Then  give  it  up. 
Why  should  you  hold  fast  to  an  excuse  which 
you  know  to  be  not  a  good  one  ?  But  the  excuses 
of  the  sinner  are  not  yet  exhausted,  for  he  says, 
7.  "  God  is  too  merciful  to  punish  sinners." 
Now^  to  determine  this  we  must  have  recourse 
not  to  our  own  imaginations,  but  to  the  sacred 
volume,  for,  aside  from  the  Scriptures,  we 
wonld  literally  know  nothing  at  all  about  such 
matters.  The  Bible  then — the  blessed  Bible! 
"This  is  the  judge  that  ends  the  strife,  where 
wit  and  reason  fail."  And  now,  to  determine 
the  case  before  us,  we  need  to  inquire  only  in 
relation  to  two  things :  (1.)  What  has  God  said? 
and  (2.)  What  has  God  done?— (1.)  What  has 
God  said?  He  has  said,  it  is  true,  that  he  is 
long-suffering,  abundant  in  goodness  and  in 
truth — but  he  has  also  said,  that  he  will  by  no 
means  clear  the  guilty.  He  has  said,  it  is  true, 
that  he  has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the 
wicked;  but  he  has  also  said,  if  the  wicked 
turn  not,  he  will  whet  his  sword,  and  his  hand 
will  take  hold  on  vengeance.  He  has  said 
many  things  most  consoling  to  the  penitent 
and  broken-hearted  sinner,  but  upon  all  others 
he  denounces  terrible  things.  "  Wo,"  says  he, 
"to  the  wicked,  it  shall  be  ill  with  him." 
And  again — "Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all 
likewise  perist^."     And  again — "He  that  be- 


REVIVAL    SfiRMON-S.  307 

ing  often  reproved  hardeneth  his  neck,  shall 
suddenly  be  destroyed,  and  that  without  re- 
medy." Declarations  like  these,  you  know, 
my  dear  friends,  are  very  common  in  the  sa- 
cred volume,  and  you  cannot  believe  they  were 
intended  to  be  mere  vain  words.  Let  the  sin- 
ner then  seriously  consider  what  God  has  said, 
and  what  is  before  him.  God  is  merciful. 
Yes,  and  we  &re  glad  to  add,  he  is  rich  in 
mercy — his  mercy  is  over  all  his  works,  and 
endureth  for  ever ;  but  remember  also,  "  God 
is  not  a  man  that  he  should  lie,  nor  the  son  of 
man  that  he  should  repent."  "  Has  he  said  it? 
and  shall  he  not  do  it?"  "  For  ever,  O  Lord, 
thy  word  is  settled  in  heaven  !"  (2.)  But  what 
has  God  done?  Expelling  rebel  angels  from 
heaven,  he  cast  them  down  to  hell !  Driving 
fallen  man  from  paradise,  he  subjected  him  to 
death,  temporal,  spiritual,  and  eternal.  The 
antediluvians  were  God's  creatures,  and  yet 
being  sinners,  the  flood  came  and  swept  them 
all  away.  The  inhabitants  of  Sodom  and  Go- 
morrah were  God's  creatures,  and  yet  on  ac- 
count of  their  sins,  you  know  very  well  what 
befel  them.  The  Lord  rained  upon  them  fire 
and  brimstone  out  of  heaven ;  and,  according 
to  the  Apostle,  they  were  set  forth  as  ensam- 
ples,  suffering  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire. 
Let  not  the  sinner  then,  who  continues  in  sin, 
expect  to  escape  the  righteous  judgment  of 
Almighty   God,  for  it  is  written,    "Though 


308  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

hand  join  in  hand  yet  shall  not  the  wicked  go 
unpunished."  And  again — "  Be  not  deceived, 
God  is  not  mocked,  for  whatsoever  a  man 
soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap."  There  is  a 
way,  thank  God,  in  which  salvation  may  come 
to  the  sinner,  as  a  flowing  stream.  Through 
the  great  atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ,  God  can 
pardon  the  repenting  sinner,  and  yet  maintain 
the  honours  of  his  throne ;  but,'  let  the  sinner 
reject  the  plan  of  salvation  proposed  in  the  gos- 
pel, and  he  rejects  mercy  herself — and  mercy 
thus  scorned  and  rejected,  will  herself  grasp 
the  sword,  and  turn  executioner!  The  wrath 
of  the  Lamb !  O  who  can  bear  it !  But  another 
comes  forward  and  says, 

8.  "  Really,  sir,  I  have  not  time  to  attend  to 
the  matter." — And  w^hat  was  time  chiefly  given 
for,  but  to  prepare  for  eternity.  Here  is  a  ser- 
vant sent  upon  an  important  errand,  but,  ga- 
tliering  flowers  and  pebbles  by  the  way,  he 
lingers  and  says,  I  have  not  time  to  go  upon 
the  errand.  Here  is  a  planter,  the  time  for 
putting  his  seed  into  the  ground  is  come,  but 
his  grounds  are  not  ploughed,  nor  are  his 
fences  up ;  and,  sporting  with  his  hounds,  or 
amusing  himself  in  his  garden,  he  pleads  he 
has  not  time  to  sow  his  fields.  Not  time ! 
You  have  time  to  attend  to  your  bodies — why 
not  time  to  attend  to  your  souls?  ''  0  !  Mr. 
Ryland,  I  have  not  time  to  attend  to  such  mat- 
ters."    Observe,  this  was  the  language  of  a 


REVIVAL  serAions.  309 

certain  member  of  congress  to  the  chaplain  of 
congress,  at  the  time  the  man  of  God  urged 
him  to  attend  to  the  great  interests  of  his  un- 
dying soul.  "  0 !  sir,"  said  he,  "  I  have  not 
time  to  attend  to  such  matters."  Men  of  the 
world,  listen!  This  member  of  congress  was 
a  lawyer.  He  made,  as  I  am  told,  twenty 
thousand  dollars  a  year  by  his  practice  as  a 
lawyer.  He  was  a  senator — one  of  the  most 
brilliant  stars  which  ever  coruscated  in  the 
senate  chamber.  Moreover  he  was  an  orator, 
a  finished  orator,  if  there  ever  was  one  in  this 
land  of  ours.  His  tono^ue  was  the  tono^ue 
of  the  learned,  it  dropped  manna;  persuasion 
dwelt  upon  his  lips.  All  who  heard  him  were 
charmed  with  his  silver  toned  voice,  and  the 
heart-stirring  strains  of  his  enrapturing  elo- 
quence. When  it  was  known  that  he  was  to 
speak  in  the  senate  chamber,  it  was  difficult 
to  keep  a  quorum  in  the  other  house;  and 
on  a  certain  occasion,  when  he  had  made  a 
most  brilliant  speech  on  the  Missouri  ques- 
tion, John  Randolph,  (certainly  a  judge  of  elo- 
quence, if  of  nothing  else,) — yes,  John  Ran- 
dolph, in  perfect  admiration  exclaimed,  "  I  had 
rather  be  the  author  of  that  speech  than  Em- 
peror of  all  the  Russias."  This  is  the  man, 
the  lawyer,  the  statesman — the  great  and  bril- 
liant man,  who,  when  urged  to  take  care  of 
his  soul,  replied,  "  O,  Mr.  Ryland,  I  have 
not   time   to  attend   to   such   matters."      Ah 


310  REVIVAL    SERMONS.  * 

me !  "  what  shadows  we  are,  and  what  sha- 
dows we  pursue !"  This  very  man,  only  a 
few  weeks  after,  was  shronded  and  laid  in  the 
grave  !  And  now,  as  he  is  sinking  in  the  cold 
embrace  of  death,  the  same  chaplain  comes 
to  his  bed-side,  and  for  the  last  time  admon- 
ishes him  to  take  care  of  his  soul.  What  does 
he  now  say?  "O,  Mr.  Ryland,  the  world  has 
ruined  me  !"  Remember,  I  do  not  draw  aside 
the  curtain ;  I  will  not  pronounce  concerning 
his  doom ;  but  on  the  supposition  that  his  last 
words  were  true,  "  the  world  has  ruined  me !" 
On  that  supposition,  where  is  he  now?  In  the 
dark  world  of  wo !  And  what  is  it  to  him,  this 
moment,  that  he  was  once-  able  to  amass 
twenty  thousand  dollars  a  year  by  his  prac- 
tice as  a  lawyer?  Alas !  now  he  has  not  silver 
and  gold  enough  to  purchtise  one  poor  drop  of 
water  to  cool  his  tongue  tormented  in  penal 
flames !  And  what  is  it  to  him,  this  moment, 
that  he  was  once  the  most  brilliant  star  that 
ever  glittered  in  the  senate  chamber  of  the 
United  States !  Alas !  this  star  is  fallen  ?  Its 
brilliancy  is  quenched  in  the  gloom  of  the  pit 
that  has  no  bottom !  And  what  is  it  to  him 
now,  that  once  his  tongue  was  the  tongue  of 
the  learned  ;  that  it  dropped  manna ;  that  per- 
suasion dwelt  upon  his  lips,  and  that  all  who 
heard  him  were  charmed  with  the  strains  of 
his  surpassing  eloquence.  Does  he  speak  ?  It 
is  ift  groans  of  anguish,  and  shrieks  of  despair — 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  311 

Metliinks  he  cries  out  in  the  agony  of  a  lost 
soul,  "  I  have  lost  my  day  \  I  have  lost  my  soul ! 
The  harvest  is  passed,  the  summer  is  ended,  and 
I  am  not  saved!"  You  have  not  time  to  attend 
to  your  spiritual  interests !  What  says  the 
Saviour,  "  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  his  ris^hteousness."  This  is  to  be  sou^^ht  as 
an  object  of  the  first  importance,  and  in  the  first 
place ;  and  for  this,  a  good  reason  is  assigned  in 
another  place,  "What  is  a  man  profited,  if  he 
shall  gain  the  Whole  world,  and  lose  his  own 
soul?" 

9.  "  I  know  that  religion  is  important :  I  do 
not  intend  to  neglect  it,  but  there  is  time 
enough  yet." — You  admit  that  religion  is  im- 
portant, and  yet  you  seem  disposed  to  attend  to 
any  thing  and  every  thing  else  first !  You  ad- 
mit that  religion  is  important — we  are  pleased 
that  you  make  this  admission,  but  better  proof 
of  your  sense  of  its  importance  would  give  us 
more  pleasure  still.  But  you  say,  you  do  not 
intend  to  neglect  it.  Are  you  not  mistaken? 
Let  us  test  this  matter.  Is  it  your  purpose  to 
attend  to  it  this  day?  to-morrow?  the  next 
week?  the  next  month?  the  next  year?  No, 
you  say,  you  have  not  exactly  formed  any  reso- 
lution of  this  kind.  Then  it  seems  you  are 
quite  reconciled  to  the  idea  of  neglecting  it  at 
least  for  one  day,  one  month,  and  even  for  one 
year!  O,  there  is  something  awful  in  this! 
Something  to  make  one  shudder!    It  speaks 


312  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

this  language :  Terrible  as  the  loss  of  the  soul 
is,  I  am  vi^illing  to  expose  myself  to  the  peril  of 
it,  for  at  least  one  year  more !  But  you  say, 
you  have  time  enough  yet — What!  if  you 
should  die  this  night?  And  what  security  have 
you  that  you  shall  not  ? — I  am  free  to  confess  I 
do  not  think  it  likely  that  you  will  die  to-night, 
but  it  is  quite  possible,  and  the  bare  possibility 
of  your  dying  in  your  present  state,  this  night, 
surely  it  is  enough  to  take  away  sleep  from 
your  eyes,  and  slumber  from  your  eyelids !  I 
recollect  when  I  was  yet  unconverted.  I  was 
sometimes  afraid  to  go  to  sleep  at  night,  lest 
I  might  never  wake  up  in  this  world  any 
more !  And  I  recollect  making  a  remark  of 
this  kind  one  evening  at  the  house  of  a  friend 
in  Texas,  some  years  ago,  and  it.  was  blessed 
to  the  hopeful  conversion  of  one  precious  soul. 
Suppose  you  think  upon  the  matter;  it  may, 
by  grace  divine,  be  the  means  of  saving  you 
from  going  down  to  the  pit.  Remember,  your 
breath  is  in  your  nostrils,  and  God  may  stop 
that  breath  any  moment.  But  why  do  you 
think  that  there  is  time  enough  yet  ?  Are  you 
young?  Some  younger  than  you  are  now 
sleeping  in  their  graves.  Are  you  in  strong 
health  ?  Ah,  me !  some  not  only  in  youth,  but 
in  strong  health,  have  been  cut  down,  and  that 
without  warning.  O,  I  could  mention  so  many 
cases  that  have  fallen  under  my  own  observa- 
tion, and  some,  too,  of  a  most  melancholy  cha- 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  313 

racter.  And  am  I  wrong  ?  Some  cases  of  a 
similar  kind  have  been  known  to  you.  "  In  the 
midst  of  Ufe  we  are  in  death."  0,  how  many 
illustrations  of  this  fact  occur  every  year,  and 
in  every  place  !  And  do  you  still  say,  ''  there 
is  time  enough  yet !''  Had  you  seen  Mr. 
Loomis,  of  Bangor,  ascend  the  pulpit  on  a 
certain  new  year  Sabbath,  you  would  have 
thought  it  probable  that  he  would  ascend  his 
pulpit  many  Sabbaths  yet  to  come.  Alas  ?  he 
had  entered  it  for  the  last  time.  He  arose,  he 
took  his  text — it  was  this:  "This  year  thou 
shalt  die."  He  made  a  few  remarks,  turned 
pale,  and  sank  down  in  his  pulpit  a  lifeless 
corpse.  His  pulpit  was  his  death-chamber,  and 
his  orown  his  windinj^-sheet.  "  Time  enoug-h 
yet!"  If  you  had  seen  Judge  Boling  rise  up 
in  the  hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives  a 
few  years  ago,  and  address  the  Speaker,  you 
might  have  expected  him  to  make  many  more 
speeches  in  that  hall  of  legislation;  but,  alas! 
he  was  then  making  his  last  speech.  "  Mr. 
Speaker,"  said  he ;  and  while  addressing  the 
chair,  the  angel  of  death  touched  him,  and  he 
fell  down  a  dead  man !  "  Time  enough  yet !" 
If  you  had  seen  Colonel  Bowie,  some  eighteen 
or  twenty  years  since,  enter  a  certain  church  in 
the  city  of  Washington,  you  would  little  have 
thought  that  he  had  entered  the  church  of  God 
for  the  last  time;  but  so  it  was.  While  the 
man  of  God  in  the  pulpit  was  preaching  to  the 

21 


314  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

people  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,  all 
who  were  present,  heard  a  groan !  It  was  his 
last.  Colonel  Bowie  fell  upon  the  floor  and  im- 
mediately expired !  His  friends  gathered  around 
him  and  carried  him  out  a  dead  man.  And  0 ! 
who  can  forget  the  sudden  death  of  Emmet,  of 
Harper,  and  of  Clinton,  and  especially  the 
tragical  and  most  melancholy  affair  on  board 
the  Princeton,  when  two  of  the  heads  of  the 
departments  of  government,  with  several  other 
distinguished  individuals,  were  in  a  moment 
launched  into  eternity  ?  Ah !  my  brethren,  we 
can  compute  the  length  of  any  natural  day, 
but  not  how  long  any  man  is  going  to  live  on 
earth;  we  can  tell  precisely  when  the  natural 
sun  will  set,  but  not  when  the  sun  of  life  will 
go  down.  Sometimes  the  period  of  man's  life  is 
lengthened  like  a  summer's  day ;  sometimes  it 
is  made  short  as  a  day  in  midwinter.  Some- 
times the  sun  of  life  goes  down  at  noon,  and 
sometimes  while  it  is  yet  early  ifi  the  morning. 
Sometimes  it  fades  away  like  the  fleecy  cloud 
on  the  azure  sky;  sometimes  it  appears  like 
the  meteor  flashing  and  coruscating  in  the  hea- 
vens, and  then  in  a  moment  quenched  and  gone 
out. 

"  Our  life  contains  a  thousand  springs, 
And  fails  if  one  be  gone; 
Strange  that  a  harp  of  thousand  strings 
Should  keep  in  tune  so  long." 

"  Boast  not  thyself  of  to-morrow,"  said  one 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  315 

who  uttered  many  wise  sayings.  "  Boast  not 
thyself  of  to-morrow,  for  thou  knowest  not  what 
a  day  may  bring  forth."  When  such  mighty 
interests  are  at  stake,  none  should  presume 
upon  the  future.  '^  Be  wise  to-day,  'tis  mad- 
ness to  defer." 

Once  more:  ''I  must  M^ait  God's  time." 
Some  really  seem  to  be  waiting  for  miracles. 
I  know  very  well  that  Saul  of  Tarsus  was 
miraculously  arrested  on  his  way  to  Damascus, 
but  let  not  every  sinner  expect  miracles  on  his 
way  to  Damascus.  But  does  not  David  say, 
"My  soul  waiteth  for  the  Lord?"  Certainly 
he  said  so,  but  did  he  not  also  add,  "■  More  than 
they  that  watch  for  the  morning?"  How  re- 
markable the  expression,  "  More  than  they 
that  watch  for  the  morning;"  that  is,  more  than 
the  nurse  in  the  chamber  of  the  sick  man,  who 
looks  out  at  the  window,  and  longs  for  the 
breaking  of  the  day ;  or  more  than  the  sentinel 
in  a  cold  damp  night  looks  towards  the  east,  and 
longs  for  the  rising  of  the  morning-star.  Can 
you  say  that  you  do  wait  for  the  Lord  more 
than  they  who  do  thus  long  for  the  breaking 
of  the  day,  and  the  rising  of  the  morning-star? 
You  are  waiting  God's  time  ?  Is  this  really 
so?  Then,  be  it  thus;  but  remember,  the 
present  is  his  time,  as  it  is  written — "Behold, 
now  is  the  accepted  time — behold,  now  is  the 
day  of  salvation."  And  again:  "Choose  ye 
this  day  whom  you  will  serve."     And  again, 


316  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

*'  To-day,  if  you  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not 
your  hearts." 

And  now  my  friends,  in  closing,  hear  me !  O, 
do  attend  to  what  I  say !  Only  a  little  while, 
and  we  shall  have  done  with  the  scenes  of  this 
transitory  state — only  a  little  while,  and  our  race 
will  have  been  run,  our  probation  closed,  and 
our  character  and  destiny  sealed  for  ever !  Our 
eternal  all  is  at  stake !  Let  there  be  no  trifling 
in  this  matter — bring  near  the  scenes  which 
are,  certainly  before  us.  Suppose  you  were 
now  upon  a  dying  bed,  how  would  your  ex- 
cuses appear  ? — Suppose  this  was  the  very  mo- 
ment of  your  leaving  the  world — pulse  quiver- 
ing, blood  freezing,  heart-strings  breaking,  soul 
panting,  shuddering,  launching  away  ! — how 
would  your  excuses  appear?  But  change  the 
scene.  Suppose  this  were  the  great  judgment 
day,  and  all  its  tremendous  scenes  now  passing 
before  you — trump  sounding,  dead  rising,  God 
descending,  angels  shouting,  devils  wailing — in 
these  solemn  circumstances  how  would  your 
excuses  appear?  If  your  excuses  are  good,  my 
counsel  is,  hold  them  fast !  Do  not  let  the  minis- 
ter take  them  from  you — do  not  let  your  mother 
take  them  from  you.  Let  no  one  take  them  from 
you.  If  you  are  sure  they  are  good,  I  repeat  it, 
hold  them  fast !  carry  them  with  you  all  along 
the  journey  of  life  !  carry  them  with  you  down 
into  the  grave,  and  up  to  the  judgment  bar; 
plead  them  before   your  Maker.     If  your  ex- 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  317 

cuses  are  good,  God  is  just,  and  he  will  sustain 
them.  But,  if  they  are  not  good,  (and  is  there 
not  a  misgiving  in  your  heart,  even  now — aye, 
a  conviction  that  they  are  not  good?)  I  change 
my  counsel  altogether.  If  not  good,  do  not  hold 
them  fast;  I  beseech  you  do  not  carry  them 
with  you  through  the  journey  of  life !  Do  not, 
I  entreat  you,  as  you  value  your  precious  souls, 
do  not  carry  them  with  you  down  to  the  grave, 
nor  up-  to  the  judgment  bar,  lest  God  look  upon 
you,  and  you  wither  away !  lest  God  frown 
upon  you,  and  you  perish  for  ever ! 


SERMON    XII. 


IDLENESS    REPROVED. 


And  about  the  eleventh  hour  he  went  out  and  found  others  standing' 
idle,  and  saitli  unto  them,  why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle? — 
Matthew  xx.  6. 

It  was  foretold  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  that  he 
should  open  his  mouth  in  parables,  and  we 
find  that  it  was  oftentimes  in  this  way  that  he 
instructed  his  friends  and  silenced  his  ene- 
mies. The  parable  of  the  householder,  like 
that  of  the  prodigal  son,  is  of  a  national  char- 
acter,  and   was  primarily  designed   to  repre- 


318  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

sent  the  Jewish  and  the  Gentile  nations,  and  to 
to  exhibit  the  goodness  and  the  sovereignty  of 
God.  By  the  vineyard  we  are  to  understand 
the  church  of  God.  By  the  householder  the 
head  of  the  church.  By  the  labourers  hired 
early  in  the  morning,  we  may  understand 
those  brought  in,  in  the  patriarchal  age.  By 
those  hired  at  the  third,  sixth,  and  ninth  hours, 
those  brought  in  under  the  ministry  of  Moses, 
Samuel,  and  John  the  Baptist;  and  by  those 
hired  at  the  eleventh  hour,  the  Gentiles  are 
evidently  intended,  who  were  brought  in  at 
that  period  of  the  world  comraonly  denomi- 
nated the  last  days.  By  accommodation,  and 
for  important  practical  purposes,  we  may  take 
this  view  of  the  subject.  By  the  vineyard  we 
may  understand  as  before,  the  churcli  of  God. 
By  the  householder  the  head  of  the  church, 
whilst  by  the  day  we  may  understand  the  sea- 
son of  grace  allotted  to  us  in  this  world,  and 
by  the  different  hours  in  which  the  labourers 
were  hired,  we  may  understand  the  different 
periods  in  which  sinners  are  converted  and 
brought  into  the  bosom  of  the  church.  Taking 
this  view  of  the  parable  we  wish 

I.  To  point  out  those  who  are  spiritually 
idle,  and 

II.  Mention  those  who  have  probably  reach- 
ed the  eleventh  hour. 

I.  Point  out  those  who  are  spiritually  idle. 
To  determine  this  matter,  we  need  only  inquire, 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  319 

what  is  that  o-reat  business  which  we  have  to 
attend  to  in  this  world;  and  then  it  will,  of 
course,  follow  as  a  necessary  consequence,  that 
those  who  are  netrlectinir  this  orrand  concern, 
are,  and  ought  to  be,  numbered  with  those  who 
are  spiritually  idle.  And  now,  my  brethren, 
what  is  this  great  concern  ?  Rest  assured,  God 
Almighty  never  sent  us  into  this  w^orld  merely 
that  we  might  plant,  and  build,  and  buy  and 
sell,  and  get  gain,  and  then  go  and  sleep  an 
everlasting  sleep  in  the  grave !  How  much  less 
did  he  send  us  into  this  world,  that  we  might 
run  the  round  of  worldly  pleasure,  and  fashion, 
and  sin,  and  folly,  and  then  drop  into  the  pit 
which  has  no  bottom  !  0  no !  Man  has  an 
immortal  soul,  and  a  higher  destiny  awaits 
him.  He  is  to  prepare  for  another  and  a  better 
world.  According  to  the  Scriptures  there  is  a 
heaven.  O  heaven,  sweet  heaven!  The  pur- 
chase of  a  Saviour's  blood !  the  Christian's  rest! 
the  pilgrim's  home !  the  dwelling  place  of  love, 
of  glory,  and  of  God  !  The  patriarchs  are  there, 
the  prophets  are  there,  the  martyrs  are  there, 
our  blessed  Saviour  is  there,  aye,  and  all  who 
have  fallen  asleep  in  Jesus,  are  there !  0  hea- 
ven, sweet  hea-ven !  the  loveliest  and  most  de- 
sirable place  in  all  the  empire  of  the  great  God ! 
This  he'mcr  the  case,  our  ofreat  business  on  earth 
is  so  to  live,  and  act  in  such  a  manner,  that  hav- 
ing glorified  God  in  our  day  and  generation,  we 


320  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

may,  when  death  comes,  have  nothing  to  do 
but  to  die,  to  fall  asleep  in  Jesus,  and  wake 
up  in  that  holy  and  happy  world ;  and  there  be 
with  God  and  his  angels  for  ever  and  ever! 
Yes,  my  brethren,  this  is  our  great  business  on 
earth,  and,  in  comparison  with  it,  every  thing 
else  dwindles  into  perfect  insignificance;  for 
"  what  is  a  man  profited  if  he  gain  the  whole 
world  and  lose  his  own  soul?"  And  now,  let 
it  be  remarked,  there  are  two  things  which 
constitute  essential  parts  of  this  business  of 
preparation  for  heaven,  viz :  repentance  to- 
ward God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

1.  We  must  repent  of  our  sins. — This  was 
the  burden  of  John  the  Baptist;  with  this  doc- 
trine our  Saviour  commenced  his  ministry,  and 
you  recollect  the  language  of  Paul  upon  Mars 
Hill, — "The  times  of  this  ignorance,"  says  he, 
"God  winked  at,  "but  now  commandeth  all 
men  every  where  to  repent."  And  for  this  he 
assigns  a  substantial  reason;  "for,"  continues 
he,  "  God  hath  appointed  a  day  wherein  he 
will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness."  And, 
you  recollect,  that  when  some  told  our  Saviour 
of  certain  Galileans,  wdiose  blood  Pilate  had 
mingled  with  their  sacrifices,  he  replied,  "  Think 
ye  that  these  Galileans  were  sinners  above  all 
the  Galileans,  because  they  suffered  such 
things?  I  tell  you  nay,  but  except  ye  repent. 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  321 

ye  shall  all  likewise  perish."  How  sweeping 
is  this  language!  "Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall 
all  likewise  perish."  He  comes  as  it  were,  to 
the  rich  man  rolling  in  affluence,  and  says: 
Thinkest  thou,  0  rich  man,  that  thy  wealth  on 
earth  will  plead  for  thee  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment? I  tell  thee  nay,  *'  but  except  ye  repent,  ye 
shall  all  likewise  perish."  He  comes  to  the  poor 
man,  struggling  with  adversity,  and  says: 
Thinkest  thou,  0  poor  man,  that  thy  trials  on 
earth  will  exempt  thee  in  the  day  of  reckon- 
ing? I  tell  thee  nay,  "  but  except  ye  repent,  ye 
shall  all  likewise  perish."  He  comes  also  to  the 
man  of  silvery  locks,  and  says :  Thinkest  thou, 
aged  man,  that  thy  silvery  locks  will  stand  thee 
instead  at  the  bar  of  thy  Maker  ?  I  tell  thee 
nay,  "  but  except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise 
perish."  Aye,  and  he  comes  to  the  young  man, 
and  the  young  maiden,  who  have  the  freshness 
of  youth  upon  them,  and  says :  Thinkest  thou, 
0  vain  youth,  that  the  dew  of  thy  youth  will 
plead  for  thee,  in  the  day  of  final  accounts  ?  I 
tell  thee  nay,  "  but  except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all 
likewise  perish."  I  repeat  it,  the  language  is 
sweeping — all  have  sinned,  says  the  Apostle, 
and  therefore  all  must  repent,  or  there  is  no 
such  thing  as  entering  the  heavenly  world. 
The  Bible  settles  the  matter,  and  we  see  that  it 
must  be  so  in  the  very  nature  of  the  case ;  for, 
suppose  the  sinner  to  enter  heaven  in  an  im- 
penitent state,  what  would  he  do  there  ?     Cer- 


322  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

tainly  he  would  justify  himself,  and  condemn 
his  Maker.  He  would  plant  the  standard  of 
revolt  "  hard  by  the  throne  of  God,"  and  teach 
lessons  of  rebellion  to  the  loyal  and  happy  ones 
in  glory.  The  thought  is  horrible.  The  case 
then  is  doubly  clear,  that  where  God  is,  the  im- 
penitent sinner  cannot  come ;  where  heaven  is, 
the  impenitent  sinner  can  have  no  place !  These 
things  being  so,  repentance  forming  an  essen- 
tial part  of  the  business  of  preparation  for  hea- 
ven, it  is  important  that  we  know  what  true 
repentance  is.  It  implies  a  conviction  of  sin. 
Serious  thought  is  not  enough ;  we  must  feel 
that  we  are  sinners,  and  great  sinners,  in  the 
sight  of  God,  and  that  it  is  of  his  mercies  that 
we  have  not  been  consumed.  Moreover,  true 
repentance  implies  sorrow  of  heart  that  we  have 
sinned  against  a  Being  so  good  and  great — and 
especially  that  we  have  so  long  slighted  and 
rejected  a  dying  Saviour.  Besides,  in  true  re- 
pentance, there  is  always  a  settled  purpose  to 
forsake  our  sins  and  turn  from  all  our  evil 
ways.  Believe  me,  brethren,  this  work  of  repent- 
ance is  a  deep  work.  It  takes  hold  upon  the 
heart,  and  revolutionizes  all  the  feelings  of  the 
soul.  We  must  repent,  not  like  the  hypocriti- 
cal Ephraimites,  who  howled  indeed  upon 
their  beds,  but  cried  not  unto  God  in  their 
hearts — nor  like  the  king  of  Egypt,  who  re- 
pented whilst  the  mighty  thunderings  were 
sounding  in  his  ears,  but  who,  so  soon  as  they 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  323 

were  hushed,  sinned  on  as  before — nor  like 
the  unhappy  Judas,  who  legally  repented,  and 
then  went  and  hanged  himself.  No !  but  we 
must  repent  like  a  David,  who  offered  to  God 
the  sacrifice  of  a  broken  heart  and  a  contrite 
spirit.  We  must  repent  like  the  prodigal,  who 
said,  -'I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  father,  and 
say  unto  him,  Father,  I  have  sinned  against 
heaven,  and  in  thy  sight,  and  am  no  more 
worthy  to  be  called  thy  son,  make  me  as  one 
of  thy  hired  servants;"  and  who  arose  and 
did  accordingly.  In  short,  we  must  repent 
like  the  publican,  who,  "standing  afar  off, 
would  not  so  much  as  lift  up  his  eyes  to  hea- 
ven, but  smote  upon  his  breast,  saying,  God 
be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner."  And  now  per- 
mit me  to  ask  each  one  in  this  assembly,  re- 
spectfully, have  you  repented?  You  have  shed 
many  tears,  it  may  be,  but  not  one  for  your 
sins.  You  have  heaved  many  sighs,  but  per- 
haps not  one  for  your  sins.  And  you  have  felt 
many  a  pang,  but  not  one  for  your  sins.  Is 
this  so?  Alas!  you  have  neglected  one  of  the 
essential  parts  of  the  business  of  preparation 
for  heaven.  You  are  numbered  with  those 
who  are  spiritually  idle;  and  what  if  the  an- 
gel of  death  touch  you,  in  your  present  state  ? 
Alas!  you  are  undone!  gone  for  ever!  But 

2.  We  must  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. — This  is  another  essential  part  of  the 
business  of  preparation  for  heaven.     You  re- 


324  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

collect  that  when  certain  ones  asked  our  Sa- 
viour what  they  should  do  to  work  the  work 
of  God,  he  replied,  "  This  is  the  work  of  God, 
that  ye  believe  in  him  whom  he  hath  sent." 
And  so  important  and  so  essential  is  this,  that 
the  Saviour  himself  says,  "  He  that  believeth 
not  shall  be  damned."  And  now,  what  is  it 
to  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ?  There 
need  be  no  difficulty.  Understanding  the  way 
of  salvation,  through  a  crucified  Saviour,  and 
approving  of  that  way,  we  are  cordially  to  ac- 
cept of  it,  thanking  God  for  his  unspeakable 
gift.  But  as  so  much  has  been  said  about  his- 
torical faith,  temporary  faith,  saving  faith,  and 
the  like,  it  may  be  proper  for  us  to  examine 
the  matter  a  little  further.  Faith,  I  would  de- 
fine to  be,  the  belief  of  the  testimony  of  God  in 
general,  having  special  reference  to  Christ  as 
the  sinner's  only  hope,  or  in  other  language, 
it  is  simply  to  take  God  at  his  word.  In  the 
eleventh  chapter  of  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  He- 
brews, we  find  numerous  exemplifications  of 
the  nature  of  faith.  For  example :  "  By  faith 
Noah,  being  warned  of  God  of  things  not  seen 
as  yet,  moved  with  fear,  prepared  an  ark  to 
the  saving  of  his  house."  God  had  said  unto 
Noah,  "  The  end  of  all  flesh  is  come  before 
me,  for  the  earth  is  filled  with  violence  through 
them,  and  behold  I  will  destroy  them  with 
the  earth;  make  thee  an  ark;  and  behold  I, 
even  I  do  bring  a  flood  of  waters  upon  the 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  325 

earth,  to  destroy  all  flesh  wherein  is  the  breath 
of  life  from  under  heaven,  but  with  thee  will 
I  establish  my  covenant,  and  thou  shalt  come 
into  the  ark,  thou  and  thy  sons,  thy  wife,  and 
thy  sons'  wives  with  thee."  Now  Noah  be- 
lieved, in  his  heart,  that  it  really  would  be  just 
as  God  had  said,  and  he  acted  accordingly. 
This  was  faith,  in  relation  to  this  matter.  Let 
a  similar  faith  be  exercised  in  relation  to  Christ, 
and  the  soul  is  saved.  For  example,  it  is  writ- 
ten. Behold  I  lay  in  Zion,  for  a  foundation, 
a  stone,  a  tried  stone,  a  precious  corner-stone, 
a  sure  foundation,  and  he  that  believeth  in  him 
shall  not  be  ashamed. *^  Now,  let  the  sinner 
venture  his  soul  on  this  naked  promise  of  a 
God  that  cannot  lie.  Let  him  take  God  at  his 
word,  and  put  him  upon  his  honour,  and  he 
exercises  that  faith  which  will  assuredly  land 
the  soul  in  glory.  The  illustration  of  Cecil  is 
in  point — it  is  substantially  this :  Coming  into 
his  house  one  day,  he  saw  his  little  girl  amus- 
ing herself  with  some  beautiful  beads:  wish- 
ing to  teach  her  the  nature  of  faith,  he  said, 
"  My  daughter,  throw  those  beads  into  the 
fire."  0 !  how  could  the  little  girl  throw  her 
pretty  beads  into  the  fire?  And  as  she  was 
hesitating,  her  father  added,  "  My  daughter, 
throw  those  beads  into  the  fire,  and  you  shall 
not  lose  by  it."     The  little  girl  looked  in  her 

*  Compare  Isaiah  xxviii.  16,  with  Romans  ix.  33. 


326  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

father's  face,  to  see  if  he  was  in  good  earnest : 
convinced  of  this,  she  made  a  desperate  effort, 
and  threw  her  beads  into  the  fire.  The  next 
day  he  went  out  and  bought  a  number  of  beau- 
tiful articles,  likely  to  please  a  girl  of  her  age, 
and  coming  in,  with  a  pleasant  countenance, 
said,  "  My  daughter,  your  father  makes  you  a 
present  this  morning  of  this  box  and  all  it 
contains."  "  What,"  said  she,  ''all  these  beau- 
tiful things  mine,  papa?"  "  Yes,  my  dear,  this 
is  your  father's  present  this  morning."  "What, 
all  these  beautiful  thing's  mine  ?" — Almost  too 
good  to  be  true!  And  now,  whilst  her  eyes 
were  sparkling  with  delight,  and  her  little 
heart  was  dancing  for  joy,  her  father  said, 
"  My  daughter,  do  not  you  recollect,  yester- 
day I  said,  Throw  those  beads  into  the  fire, 
and  you  shall  not  lose  by  it?"  "  Yes,  papa." 
"  Well,  have  you  lost  any  thing  by  it  now?" 
"  O !  no,  papa,"  said  she,  "  no  indeed !"  "  Now," 
replied  he,  "I  have  done  this  to  show  you 
what  faith  is.  The  Bible  says.  Believe  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  you  shall  not  lose  by 
it.  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou 
shalt  be  saved." 

How  perfectly  simple  faith  is !  I  repeat  it, 
it  is  just  to  take  God  at  his  word,  and  put  him 
upon  his  honour.  A  man  dreamed  once,  (I 
care  nothing  about  dreams,  but  I  like  illus- 
trations,)— a  man  dreamed  once  that  he  was 
going  along  in  the  broad  road,  and  Satan  was 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  327 

dragging  him  down  to  hell :  alarmed,  he  cried 
for  help,  and  suddenly  one  appeared  in  a  lovely 
form,  and  said,  "Follow  me!"  Immediately 
Satan  vanished ;  and  in  his  dream  the  man 
thought  he  followed  the  heavenly  one  in  a 
straight  and  narrow  way,  unil  he  came  to  a 
river,  where  he  saw  no  bridge.  Pointing  in  a 
certain  direction,  the  angel  said,  "Pass  over 
that  bridge." — "I  see  no  bridge,"  said  the  man. 
"  Yes  there  is  a  bridge,  and  you  must  pass  over 
it,  for  there  is  no  other,  and  heaven  is  beyond." 
Looking  more  narrowly,  the  dreamer  saw  what 
appeared  to  be  a  hair  extending  from  one  bank 
of  the  river  to  the  other  bank.  "  Pass  over  on 
that,"  said  the  angel.  "  0;  how  can  I?"  said 
the  man,  "  it  is  too  slender,  and  cannot  sustain 
me." — "It  will  sustain  you.  I  am  from  above, 
I  lie  not,  and  I  give  you  my  word  it  will  sus- 
tain you."  And  now,  whilst  the  man  was 
trembling  and  afraid  to  venture,  he  thought 
that  Satan  again  seized  upon  him  to  drag  him 
down  to  hell.  Urged  by  necessity,  he  put  his 
foot  upon  the  bridge,  slender  as  it  appeared, 
and  found  it  solid  plank — a  substantial  bridge, 
and  he  went  over  safely,  and  entered  shouting 
into  the  heavenly  world. — Now  the  awakened 
sinner,  under  divine  influences,  is  brought,  so 
to  speak,  to  the  bank  of  the  river.  Heaven  is 
beyond.  He  asks  how  he  can  reach  that  happy 
world.  He  is  told  he  must  believe  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  he  shall  be  saved ;  but  this 


328  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

promise  is  not  enough ;  it  appears  only  as  the 
hair  extended  from  one  bank  of  the  river  to 
the  other  bank.  The  sinner  wants  something 
more  substantial;  but  this  is  the  bridge  which 
must  take  him  over,  and  there  is  no  other. 
And  slender  as  the  bridge  of  divine  promise 
may  appear  in  his  eyes,  only  let  him  venture 
upon  it,  and  he  shall  know  that  it  is  strong 
enough  to  sustain  millions.  Some  persons 
stumble  at  the  simplicity  of  the  way  of  salva- 
tion. There  is  no  occasion,  for  every  thing 
that  God  does  is  marked  with  simplicity. 
What  man  does  is  apt  to  be  complicated ;  but 
in  union  with  wisdom  and  grandeur,  a  beauti- 
ful simplicity  reigns  throughout  all  the  works 
of  God.  Suppose,  my  friends,  you  and  I  had 
the  lighting  up  of  the  world — what  a  compli- 
cated machinery  we  would  have.  How  many 
ten  thousand  lamps  would  we  make  use  of! 
and  the  w^orld  by  these  would  not  be  well 
lighted  up  after  all.  But  God  proposes  to 
light  up  the  w^orld,  and  only  see !  One  bril- 
liant sun,  like  an  urn  of  overflowing  light, 
pours  day  upon  the  world ;  better,  infinitely  bet- 
ter, than  all  our  lamps.  Even  so,  if  all  the 
ministers  on  earth,  aye,  and  if  all  the  angels  in 
heaven  should  unite  their  efforts  to  save  one 
sinner  from  the  damnation  of  hell,  it  would  be 
all  in  vain.  But  thank  God,  one  loving,  dear, 
dying  Christ  can  save  millions — can  save  all 
who  will  come  unto  God  through  him.     Hence 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  329^ 

this  lanauao^e  of  the  Saviour  himself — "  As  Mo- 
ses  Ufted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even 
so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up,  that  who- 
soever believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but 
have  eternal  life."  And  as  many  are  apt  to 
stumble  at  the  simplicity  of  this  way  of  salva- 
tion, the  Saviour  comes  over  the  same  ground 
again,  substantially,  in  the  very  next  verse — 
"  For,"  continues  he,  "  God  so  loved  the  world, 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  w^ho- 
soever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life."  In  the  next  verse  the 
same  idea  is,  with  some  change  of  phraseology, 
presented  a  third  time,  and  in  the  following 
verse  even  a  fourth  time.  This  is  remarkable, 
and  it  seems  to  speak  this  language : — Ye  sons 
of  men,  marvel  not  at  the  simplicity  of  thew^ay 
of  salvation.  This  is  the  way — this  is  the  way ! 
Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou  shalt 
be  saved.  And,  to  crown  the  matter,  how  clear 
and  easily  understood  is  the  Saviour's  illustra- 
tion in  reference  to  the  brazen  serpent.  The 
children  of  Israel  were  bitten  by  fiery  serpents. 
The  venom  was  deadly.  Moses  could  not  heal 
them;  the  elders  of  Israel  could  not  heal  them; 
nor  could  they  heal  themselves.  God  alone 
could  meet  the  case.  In  the  plenitude  of  his 
mercy  he  directs  Moses  to  prepare  a  brazen 
serpent,  and  place  it  upon  a  pole  in  the  midst 
of  the  camp;  and  was  pleased  to  pledge  his 
veracity  that  those  who,  when  bitten,  would 

22 


330  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

look,  should  live.  Here  is  an  Israelite  bitten. 
He  is  in  the  most  remote  part  of  the  camp, 
writhing  in  agony  upon  the  ground.  ,  "  O  send 
for  Moses,"  says  he,  "send  for  the  elders." 
They  come,  and  ask  what  is  the  matter  ?  "0 
Moses,"  replies  he,  "  a  serpent  has  bitten  me, 
I  am  in  agony,  I  am  dying !  0  help  me !"  "I 
can't  help  you,"  says  Moses.  "  Elders  of  Is- 
rael !  for  pity's  sake  help  a  dying  man !"  "  We 
can 't  help  you,"  say  they.  "  Well,  what  is  to 
be  done,  must  I  die  ?"  *'  Certainly  not.  There 
is  no  necessity,"  says  Moses.  "  Yonder  is  the 
brazen  serpent,  placed  upon  the  pole  for  this 
very  purpose,  that  those  who  are  bitten,  on 
looking,  should  live."  Now  the  man,  seeing  that 
Moses  cannot  cure  him,  nor  the  elders,  nor  can 
he  cure  himself — convinced  that  this  is  the  last 
resort,  the  only  remedy,  turns  his  dying  eyes 
upon  the  brazen  serpent,  and  springing  up,  ex- 
claims— "  Glory  be  to  God,  I  am  cured !  I  am 
a  sound  man!"  Now,  says  the  Saviour — "As 
Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness, 
even  so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up, 
that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  shall  not  per- 
ish, but  have  eternal  life."  And  this  falls  in 
with  another  passage  of  Scripture : — "  Look 
unto  me  and  be  ye  saved,  all  ye  ends  of  the 
earth,  for  I  am  God,  and  there  is  none  else." 
Yes,  my  brethren,  a  crucified  Saviour  is  the 
sinner's  only  hope.  One  look  of  faith  at  this 
bleeding  victim,  and  you  are  converted  !     One 


REVIVAL  SERMONS".  331 

look  of  faith,  and  your  sins  are  all  forgiven ! 
Aye,  one  look  of  faith  at  this  great  atoning 
sacrifice,  and  the  universe  is  changed  in  rela- 
tion to  you,  and  over  you  there  are  shoutings 
in  the   heavenly  world — "  The  dead   is  alive 
again,  and  the  lost  is  found."     But  you  say, 
perhaps,  that  you  do  not  understand  what  is 
meant  by  this  look;  I  will  give  an  illustration. 
Here  is  a  stripling;  a  strong  man  has  seized 
upon  him,  and  threatens  to  take  his  life.     The 
stripling  cannot  cope  with  this  strong  man,  he 
wants  his  father,  who   is  a  stronger  man,  to 
come  to  his  relief.     He  looks,  and  sees  his  fa- 
ther in  the  distance.     You  can  understand  that 
look.    Only  cast  such  a  look  toward  the  blessed 
Saviour,  and  so  sure  as  the  Bible  is  true,  you 
will  reach  at  last  the  heavenly  world,  and  there 
a  crown  of  glory  shall  rest  upon  your  head. 
And  now  remember,  this  exercise  of  faith  in 
Christ  is  indispensably  necessary.      It  forms 
an  essential  part  of  -the  business  of  preparation 
for  heaven,  for  the  sum  and  substance  of  all  that 
the  Bible  says  upon  the  subject  is  this — "  Be- 
lieve in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou  shalt 
be  saved;  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be 
damned."     And  here  I  would  remark,  if  you 
wish  to  know  whether  your  faith  is  of  the  right 
kind,  you  must  try  it  by  the  Bible  test.     To 
you   that    believe,   says   Peter,    He,   that    is, 
Christ,    is    precious.      Yes,  the    genuine  be- 
liever has  new  views  of  Christ  as  a  suitable 


332  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

and  most  precious  Saviour.  And  whereas  the 
blessed  Saviour  was  to  him  before  as  a  root  out 
of  a  dry  ground,  without  form  or  comeliness — 
he  is  now  the  rose  of  Sharon  and  the  lily  of 
the  valley.  Yea,  the  chiefest  among  ten  thou- 
sand, and  the  one  altogether  lovely ;  and  he  can 
enter  into  the  feelings  of  the  poet  who  says, 

"  O,  could  I  speak  the  matchless  worth; 
O,  could  I  sound  thy  glories  forth 
Which  in  my  Saviour  shine ! 
I'd  soar  and  touch  the  heavenly  strings, 
And  vie  with  Gabriel,  while  he  sings, 
In  notes  almost  divine  !" 

These  things  being  so,  if  there  be  any  who 
love  not  the  Lord  Jesus,  who  have  never  felt 
their  need  of  him — in  other  words,  who  have 
never  received  him  in  the  arms  of  a  confiding 
and  appropriating  faith,  let  all  such  know  that 
they  have  neglected  an  essential  part  of  the 
great  business  which  they  must  attend  to  in 
this  world,  or  never  enter  heaven.  However 
active  and  industrious  they  may  be  in  relation 
to  the  things  of  this  world,  they  have  neglected 
the  great  concern,  and  must  be  enrolled 
amongst  the  spiritually  idle — and  to  them  I 
would  say,  "Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day 
idle?"     But  this  leads  me 

II.  To  point  out  those  who  have  probably 
reached  the  eleventh  hour. — It  is  well  known 
that  the  Jews,  in  ancient  times,  divided  their 
day  into  twelve  hours.     The  third  hour  being 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  333 

about  nine  o'clock;  the  sixth,  noon;  the  ninth, 
about  three  o'clock,  p.  ]\i . ;  and  of  course  the 
eleventh  hour  was  near  the  closing  of  the  day. 
If  we  may  be  permitted  to  make  a  correspond- 
ing division  of  the  day  of  grace,  doubtless  there 
are  some  present  who  have  reached  the  third 
hour,  some  the  sixth,  some  the  ninth,  and  some 
the  eleventh  hour.  We  cannot  say  who  have 
positively  reached  either  of  these  periods,  but 
we  wish  to  point  out  those  who  have  probably 
reached  the  last,  the  eleventh  hour. 

1.  Those  advanced  in  age. — This  is  a  clear 
case,  for  their  hoary  locks,  their  increasing  in- 
firmities, and  the  dimness  passing  over  their 
eyes  plainly  show,  that  with  them  the  third  hour 
is  gone,  the  sixth  hour  is  passed,  even  the  ninth 
hour  is  rolled  away,  and  the  eleventh  is  come ! 
Aged  sinner !  your  sun  is  near  its  setting,  the 
shadows  of  evenino^  are  leng-theninor  around 
you,  your  eleventh  hour  is  come !  Have  you 
never  yet  entered  the  vineyard  ?  O  how  much 
precious  time  have  you  wasted  !  How  very  long 
you  have  been  perilling  the  salvation  of  your 
soul !  And  are  you  still  neglecting  the  great 
business  ?  the  grand  concern  ?  0  how  criminal 
and  dangerous  is  this  neglect!  "  Why  stand  ye 
here  all  the  day  idle?"     But, 

2.  Those  whose  health  is  failing  have  also 
probably  reached  the  eleventh  hour. — I  know 
very  well,  that  diseases  are  not  always  the  im- 
mediate  harbingers  of  death,    but  frequently 


334  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

they  are.  Our  Saviour,  it  is  true,  said  of  a 
Lazarus,  when  he  was  sick,  this  sickness  is 
not  unto  death ;  but  who  can  approach  any  one 
on  earth,  whose  health  is  now  impaired,  and 
use  that  language  ?  Ah !  could  we  look  into  the 
rolls  of  heaven,  and  know  the  number  of  months 
appointed  unto  them,  we  would  perhaps  have 
to  say,  at  least  of  some  of  them,  as  the  Prophet 
said  of  Benhadad  when  he  Avas  sick :  "  The 
Lord  hath  showed  me  that  thou  shalt  surely 
die !"  There  may  be  a  fever  just  beginning  to 
revel  in  the  veins,  that  is  to  land  this  one  in 
the  house  appointed  for  all  living !  And  there 
may  be  a  slight  cold  now  falling  upon  the  lungs 
which  is  to  wrap  that  one  in  the  winding  sheet 
before  many  more  months  shall  have  rolled 
away !  The  healthful  may  die,  and  suddenly 
too,  but  those  whose  health  is  impaired,  seem 
to  be  already  summoned !  "  Why  stand  ye 
here  all  the  day  idle?" 

In  casting  my  eye  over  this  large  congrega- 
tion, I  see  many  who  are  in  the  morning  of  life, 
and  many  too,  who,  although  not  young,  are 
nevertheless  in  strong  and  vigorous  health,  and 
they  may  be  flattering  themselves  with  the  idea 
that  it  is  quite  early  in  the  day  with  them  yet. 
If  the  third  hour  is  gone,  surely  it  is  not  be- 
yond the  sixth,  or  at  the  utmost  the  ninth  hour ! 
My  dear  brethren,  be  not  too  confident  in  this 
matter.  Where  is  your  grave-yard  ?  Let  us  pay 
it  a  brief  visit.     Ah !   what  do  we  there  see  ? 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  335 

Long  graves  and  short  graves !  and  graves  of 
every  kind !  Yes !  there  hoary  age  and  beard- 
less youth  sleep  side  by  side !  Suppose  all  in 
this  sanctuary  should  now  withdraw,  and  all 
the  dead  in  the  neighbouring  grave-yards 
should  rise  up  out  of  their  graves,  and,  wrapped 
in  their  wjjiding  sheet,  should  fill  this  house — 
what  kind  of  a  congreoration,  in  relation  to 
age,  would  it  be?  Very  much  I  suspect  like 
the  present  assembly.  Here  we  might  see 
some  patriarchal  man,  with  his  locks  silvery 
with  age ;  there  a  venerable  matron  far  ad- 
vanced in  the  vale  of  life ;  here  we  might  see  a 
youthful  husband,  and  there  the  wife  of  his 
youth.  In  another  part  of  the  church,  we 
might  see  a  promising  son,  just  ripening  into 
manhood ;  and  there  a  daughter,  and  a  lovely 
one,  just  turned  of  sixteen !  whilst  in  that  pew 
we  might  see  a  child,  the  pride  of  doating  pa- 
rents; and  there  a  sweet  little  babe  whom 
angels  sung  to  rest !  And  here,  too,  where  I 
standi  we  might  see  a  Rodgers  or  a  Wesley, 
bending  under  the  load  of  age — or  a  Spencer, 
or  a  Lamed,  vigorous  in  youthful  days. 

Ah!  my  brethren,  the  congregation  of  the 
dead  is  very  much  like  the  congregation  of  the 
living.  It  embraces  persons  of  every  age,  and 
every  sex.  Young  men  and  maidens,  old  men 
and  children,  they  all  do  lie  down  together  in 
the  dust,  and  the  worms  do  cover  them.  Sup- 
pose then,  you  are  in  good  health,  and  even 


336  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

young,  you  are  not  sure — you  cannot  be,  that 
your  eleventh  hour  has  not  yet  come.  Whilst 
with  some  the  period  of  life  on  earth  is  long 
and  extended  as  a  summer's  day,  with  others 
it  is  short  and  contracted  as  a  day  in  mid-win- 
ter. Sometimes  the  sun  of  life  goes  down  at 
noon,  and  sometimes  even  whilst  the  dew  is 
yet  upon  the  ground.  And  whilst  in  some 
cases  life  gradually  fades  away,  as  the  fleecy 
cloud  which  imperceptibly  melts  away  on  the 
azure  sky,  sometimes  it  vanishes  like  the  me- 
teor, which  for  a  few  moments  plays  along  the 
edge  of  a  tempest,  and  then  is  gone.  0  !  how 
uncertain  is  life !  We  may  compute  the  length 
of  any  natural  day,  but  we  cannot  tell  the 
length  of  any  day  of  life.  We  can  tell  the 
very  minute  when  yonder  sun  will  set,  but  we 
cannot  tell  the  hour,  nor  the  month,  nor  the 
year,  when  the  sun  of  life  will  go  down,  hence 
the  language  of  the  Saviour,  "Be  ye  also 
ready,  for  in  such  an  hour  as  ye  think  not, 
the  Son  of  man  cometh."  Then  be  not  too 
sure  that  your  eleventh  hour  has  not  arrived. 
But  suppose  you  knew  precisely  when  your 
life  on  earth  would  terminate.  Suppose  it 
were  reduced  to  a  certainty  that  you  should 
attain  three-score  years  and  ten,  even  in  that 
case  you  could  not  say  that  your  eleventh  hour 
has  not  arrived.  And  here  I  now  bring  for- 
ward one  of  the  most  awful  doctrines  found  in 
all   the  sacred   volume.     It  is  this — that   the 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  337 

day  of  grace  is  not  always  as  long  as  the  day 
of  life.  "  My  Spirit,"  says  God,  "  shall  not 
always  strive  with  man."  "  Ephraim  is  joined 
to  his  idols,  let  him  alone."  Paul  speaks  of 
some  who  were  given  over  to  a  hard  heart,  and 
a  reprobate  mind ;  and,  with  regard  to  others 
he  says,  "  God  shall  send  them  strong  delu- 
sion, that  they  should  believe  a  lie :  that  they 
all  might  be  damned  who  believed  not  the 
truth,  but  had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness." 
2  Thess.  ii.  11,  12.  The  idea  is  this,  that 
some  on  account  of  their  sins,  are  judicially 
hardened.  Having  grieved  the  Spirit,  he  takes 
his  departure ;  and  left  to  themselves  they  be- 
come incorrigible,  past  feeling,  and  past  hope. 
But  how  shall  we  find  out  when  their  day  of 
grace  is  drawing  to  a  close?  As  there  are  cer- 
tain symptoms  which  indicate  the  closing  of 
the  natural  day,  even  so  there  are  certain 
symptoms  which,  to  say  the  least,  seem  to 
give  awful  indications  that  the  day  of  grace  is 
drawing  to  a  close.  We  do  not  pretend  to  de- 
cide upon  any  individual  case.  We  make  ge- 
neral remarks,  and  we  do  it  to  sound  a  sea- 
sonable alarm  in  the  ears  of  those  who  are  still 
idle,  although  they  have  too  much  reason  to 
fear  that  their  day  of  grace  is  winding  up. 

(1.)  When  the  natural  day  is  drawing  to  a 
close,  the  heat  abates,  and  the  chilling  influ- 
.ence  of  approaching  night  is  felt. — Even  so, 
when  the  day  of  grace  is  drawing  to  a  close, 


338  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

the  warmth  of  rehgious  feeling  subsides,  and 
the  chilUng,  freezing,  deadening  influence  of 
sin,  comes  over  the  soul,  0  !  if  they  are  any 
present  who  were  once  excited  on  the  subject 
of  religion ;  who,  at  some  past  period,  when 
they  mused  upon  their  lost  condition,  had  the 
fire  to  burn  within,  but  have  now  a  cold  heart, 
and  have  lost  all'  concern  about  their  future 
salvation,  they  have  awful  reason  to  fear  that 
they  have  grieved  the  Spirit,  and  that  he  is 
now  leaving  them,  it  may  be  for  ever !  Yes,  if 
after  havinir  been  blessed  with  awakenino-  in- 
fluences,  their  hearts  have  become  cold  and 
worldly  minded,  they  have  now  but  too  much 
reason  to  fear  that  with  them  the  third  hour  is 
gone ! — the  sixth  hour  is  gone! — the  ninth  hour 
rolled  away! — and  that  the  eleventh  hour  is 
come.  "  Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle?" 
(2.)  When  the  natural  day  is  drawing  to  a 
close,  light  diminishes  and  darkness  begins  to 
steal  over  the  face  of  creation. — Thus,  about 
the  eleventh  hour  of  the  day  of  grace,  spiritual 
light  grows  dim,  and  judicial  darkness  thickens 
upon  the  soul.  The  illuminations  of  the  Di- 
vine Spirit  frequently  issue  in  the  sound  con- 
version of  the  soul  unto  God;  sometimes,  how- 
ever, they  do  not.  They  make  visible  the 
strait  gate  and  narrow  way,  but  being  resisted, 
the  sinner  after  all  is  left  to  perish  in  his  sin. 
This  is  truly  an  awful  case,  for,  according  to 
the  Apostle  Peter,  it  were  better  not  to  have 


REVIVAL   SERMONS.  339 

known  tlie  way  of  life,  than  after  w^e  have 
known  it  to  turn  from  the  holy  command- 
ment. Yes,  it  were  better  never  to  have  had 
the  illuminations  of  the  Spirit,  than  after  we 
have  had  them,  to  have  the  shades  of  spi- 
ritual death  to  fall  upon  the  soul;  for,  in  ad- 
dition to  other  sins  laid  to  the  charge  of  such 
persons,  they  will  have  to  answer  for  quench- 
ing the  Spirit.  Are  there  not  some  present 
who  can  recollect  the  time  when  they  had 
comparatively  clear  views  of  the  value  of  the 
soul,  the  importance  of  religion,  and  the  ne- 
cessity of  the  Saviour?  How  is  it  now?  Have 
these  things  faded  upon  the  view?  Are  they 
in  a  great  measure  hidden  from  their  eyes? 
Alas!  their  case  is  an  alarming  one.  They 
have  reason  to  fear  that  their  day  of  grace  is 
drawing  to  a  close! — that  the  third  hour  is 
gone! — and  the  sixth  hour  gone! — and  the 
ninth  hour  is  also  rolled  away  ! — and  that  the 
eleventh  hour  is  come !  0  !  ye  loiterers !  ye 
who  are  procrastinating  and  putting  off  to 
some  future  period,  the  claims  of  God  and 
eternity — you  have  much  reason  to  wake  up 
and  bestir  yourselves,  for  your  sun  seems  in- 
deed to  be  going  down,  and  the  shadows  of 
evening  lengthening  around  you.  "  Why 
stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle?" 

(3.)  Once  more: — When  the  natural  day  is 
drawing  to  a  close,  labourers  are  becoming 
weary  of  labour,  and  are  more  disposed  to 


340  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

sit  down,  lie  down,  and  slumber  and  sleep,  than 
to  toil  and  labour  any  more. — Just  so  it  is  with 
the  spiritual  idler  about  the  close  of  the  day 
of  grace.  Sometimes  persons,  during  revivals, 
and  at  other  times  too,  when  under  awakening 
influences,  are  greatly  roused,  take  a  lively  in- 
terest in  religious  matters — set  a  great  value 
upon  all  the  means  of  grace — are  willing,  if 
necessary,  to  walk  many  miles  to  church,  and 
that  through  rain,  through  mud  and  mire — 
and  are  willing,  moreover,  to  be  personally 
conversed  with  on  the  subject  of  religion.  Af- 
ter awhile,  however,  these  persons  begin  to 
lose  their  interest  in  all  such  matters — begin 
to  absent  themselves  from  the  house  of  God — 
complain  that  the  sermon  is  too  long,  and  the 
preacher  too  plain.  And,  like  certain  ones  in 
the  times  of  Amos  the  prophet,  are  ready  to 
say  of  the  Sabbath — "  0  what  a  weariness  it 
is !  when  will  the  Sabbath  be  gone,  that  we 
may  sell  corn  and  set  forth  wheat?"  Amos 
viii.  5.  Moreover,  if  a  pious  friend  speaks  to 
them  on  the  subject  of  religion,  they  have  no 
relish  for  such  conversation,  and  are  ready  to 
say,  "Let  me  alone."  Alas!  the  case  is  clear; 
such  have  grieved  the  Spirit  of  God;  he  is 
withdrawing  his  quickening  influences,  and 
the  consequence  is,  religion  is  becoming  irk- 
some, and  all  its  duties  tiresome;  and  having 
lost  the  interest  which  they  once  felt  in  reli- 
gious matters,  they  would  now  much  rather 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  341 

lie  down  in  spiritual  sloth,  and  slumber  and 
sleep  in  carnal  security,  than  labour  to  enter 
into  the  promised  land.  Are  there  any  in  this 
house  whom  this  picture  suits  ?  I  solemnly  de- 
clare I  would  not  be  in  their  case  for  a  thou- 
sand worlds,  for  they  have  aw^ful  reason  to  fear 
that  the  shades  of  nigrht  are  gatherinor  around 
them,  even  the  shades  of  that  "long,  dark, 
dark  night,  which  has  no  morn  beyond  it,  and 
no  star."  0 !  it  is  a  dreadful  thing  to  be  aban- 
doned of  the  Spirit,  and  to  be  given  over  to  a 
hard  heart  and  a  reprobate  mind !  And  yet 
there  is  such  a  thing  as  the  day  of  grace 
closing  before  death  comes.  How  awful  the 
thought!  Whilst  the  sinner  is  in  the  midst 
of  his  sins,  and  in  the  midst  of  health,  too, 
the  sentence  may  go  forth  against  him — 
"Ephraim  is  joined  to  his  idols,  let  him  alone;" 
and  then,  although  yet  on  earth,  he  is  sealed 
over  to  wrath.  Passing  along  the  road  you 
look  over  the  fence  and  see  an  old  field;  the 
trees,  cut  down,  are  lying  upon  the  ground, 
and  rotting  there.  This  may  represent  the 
sinner,  cut  down  by  the  hand  of  death,  his 
body  laid  in  the  grave,  and  his  soul  sunk 
deeper  than  the  grave.  Passing  along  you 
see  another  old  field.  The  trees  are  not 
cut  down,  it  is  true,  but  none  are  alive : 
although  standing,  they  are  all  dead.  Their 
branches  are  dry,  and  there  is  no  fohage  there. 
How  is  this?     The  axeman  has  girdled  them; 


^ 


342  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

the  showers  descend  and  the  winds  of  heaven 
pass  over  them;  their  branches  rattle  in  the 
breeze,  but  there  is  no  verdure,  no  foUage  any 
more.  O,  procrastinating  sinner!  remember, 
God  may  girdle  you  this  day;  and  should  he 
do  it,  I  tell  you  the  truth,  it  will  be  all  over 
with  you  for  ever.  Hence  this  language  of 
Scripture,  "Woe  also  to  them  when  I  depart 
from  them,"  saith  the  Lord.  Hos.  ix.  12.  In 
such  a  case,  all  the  moral  and  religious  sensi- 
bilities of  the  soul  are  deadened.  The  heart 
becomes  like  rock,  like  adamant.  As  the  dead 
man  feels  not  the  burning  of  the  coal  lodged  in 
his  bosom,  and  as  the  flinty  rock  feels  not  the 
softenino-  influences  of  the  showers  of  heaven, 
so  it  is  with  the  sinner  when  his  day  of  grace 
is  brought  to  a  close.  He  is  past  feeling  and 
past  hope.  Have  any  persons  present,  then, 
any  reason  whatever  to  believe  that  the  ele- 
venth hour  is  come  with  them  ?  Surely  it  is 
high  time  for  them  to  wake  up — to  enter  the 
vineyard,  and  diligently  to  prepare  for  a  better 
world.  "Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle?" 
Having  pointed  out  those  who  are  spiritually 
idle,  and  those  who  have  probably  reached  the 
eleventh  hour,  suff'er  me  now  to  expostulate 
and  conclude.  O,  ye  who  have  neglected  the 
great  concern,  and  have  suffered  so  much  of 
your  day  of  grace  to  pass  away  unimproved, 
"why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle?"  What 
reason  can  you  give  ?  Have  you  no  souls  ?  or  is 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  343 

it  a  matter  of  no  consequence  to  you  whether 
they  be  happy  or  miserable,  saved  or  damned, 
in  the  world  to  come?  Have  you  spent  the 
third,  sixth,  and  ninth  hour  in  idleness,  and 
will  you  spend  in  the  same  way  the  eleventh 
also?  What!  this  Httle  remnant  of  the  day  of 
grace,  which  through  mercy  yet  remains  to 
you,  will  you  spend  that  in  idleness  also?  Will 
you  approve  of  this  upon  a  dying  bed  ?  Will 
you  justify  it  amid  the  thunders  of  the  last 
great  day?  0,  tell  me,  then,  "Why  stand  ye 
here  all  the  day  idle?" 

Do  you  say  that  no  one  has  invited  you? 
What !  no  pious  friend,  no  mother,  no  sister, 
no  companion,  no  minister,  no  man  of  God? 
Can  you  say  this  ?  My  brother,  beloved  pastor 
of  this  church,  have  yoa  never  invited  them? 
0  yes,  I  am  sure  you  have  most  affectionately, 
and  most  earnestly,  and  may  I  not  almost  add, 
times  and  ways  without  number !  Can  you  not 
recollect,  my  friends,  how  on  such  an  occasion 
this  man  of  God  entered  the  sacred  desk,  hav- 
ing unusual  solemnity  depicted  in  his  coun- 
tenance. You  recollect  he  took  his  text,  and 
reasoned  concerning  righteousness,  temperance, 
and  a  judgment  to  come;  as  he  proceeded  he 
waxed  warm.  He  filled  his  mouth  with  argu- 
ments ;  he  brought  the  high  claims  of  God  and 
eternity  to  bear  powerfully  upon  the  under- 
standing, the  conscience,  and  the  heart.  And 
what  was  this  ?     It  was  my  brother's  plan  of 


344  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

inviting  you  to  enter  into  the  vineyard;  and 
when  he  saw  that  you  were  unaffected,  the 
man  of  God  wept !  0  how  sacred  are  the  tears 
of  the  faithful  and  affectionate  pastor,  weeping 
over  those  of  his  charge  who  refuse  to  attend 
to  the  great  concern!  It  is  the  spirit  of  the 
prophet,  who  said,  If  ye  will  not  hear,  my 
soul  shall  weep  in  secret  places  for  your  pride. 
Yea  it  is  the  Spirit  of  the  blessed  Jesus  him- 
self, who  beheld  the  city  and  wept  over  it,  say- 
ing, "  If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least 
in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  make  for  thy 
peace,  but  now  they  are  hidden  from  thine 
eyes."  But  to  proceed :  When  my  brother  saw 
that  his  reasonings  were  not  regarded,  and  that 
his  arguments  produced  no  impression,  you 
recollect  he  changed  his  voice,  and,  so  to  speak, 
taking  you  by  the  hand,  he  led  you  to  the  gate 
of  the  celestial  city,  and  pointing  out  the  glories 
and  the  joys  of  that  happy  world,  and  that  you 
might  finally  have  a  happy  entrance  there,  he 
urged  you  to  attend  to  the  great  concern.  And 
when  he  saw  you  still  careless — again  the  man 
of  God  wept !  What  a  loud  call  was  this  from 
your  beloved  pastor,  to  enter  into  the  vineyard  ! 
But  this  was  not  all :  when  he  saw  you  careless 
still,  he  was  ready  to  give  up  and  retire  in  des- 
pondency; but  the  thought  of  the  value  of 
your  precious  souls,  and  his  own  responsibility, 
roused  him  to  make  yet  another  effort.  In  his 
description,  he  led  you  to  the  borders  of  the  pit ; 


REVIVAL  SERMONS.  345 

he  drew  aside  the  curtain ;  he  pointed  out  to 
you  the  world  of  wo,  and  caused  you  to  hear, 
as  it  were,  the  waihngs  of  those  who  had  lost 
their  day,  and  were  now  crying  out  in  anguish, 
"  The  harvest  is  past,  the  summer  is  ended,  and 
we  are  not  saved."  And  what  was  this,  but 
another  effort  of  my  brother  to  rouse  you,  and 
to  press  you  to  enter  into  the  vineyard  ?  What ! 
no  one  invited  you  ?  Yes,  methinks  your  pious 
father  did;  and  it  was  in  a  solemn  hour!  It 
was  on  a  dying  bed !  Some  one  told  you  that 
your  father  was  very  ill,  and  wished  to  see 
you !  You  trembled,  and  hastened  to  obey  the 
summons;  w4th  solemn  feelings  you  entered 
the  door  of  his  chamber.  The  curtains  were 
down !  the  room  was  darkened !  Silence  and 
grief  reigned  there  !  Silence,  still  as  the  grave, 
except  broken  by  the  light  footsteps  of  those 
who  passed  gently  over  the  carpeted  floor ;  or 
the  low  whisperings  of  those  who  marked  the 
sad  symptoms  of  approaching  death,  or,  per- 
chance, broken  by  the  hard  breathing  of  the 
one  who  was  now  drawingr  near  his  end  !  With 
a  trembling  heart,  you  approached  the  bed-side 
of  your  dying  parent.  He  saw  you,  and  took 
you  by  the  hand.  His  hand  was  cold  as  clay, 
and  the  sweat  of  death  was  upon  his  pale  brow ! 
He  pressed  your  hand,  and  looked  you  in  the 
face.  Can  you  ever  forget  that  look  ?  It  spoke 
volumes !  He  wished  to  speak,  but  he  was  very 
feeble — again  he  pressed  your  hand,  and  said, 

23 


346  REVIVAL  SERMONS. 

"God  bless  you,  my  child  !  Meet  me  in  hea- 
ven!" Then,  looking  up,  he  said,  "Precious 
Saviour,  I  am  ready  now !  Come,  Lord  Jesus ! 
come  quickly!"  And  while  you  were  looking 
on,  he  ceased  to  breathe,  and  was  with  his  God  I 
And  was  this  no  call  ?  O  yes,  you  have  received 
a  call  from  the  very  threshold  of  heaven — aye, 
and  from  one  who  loved  you,  and  longed  to 
meet  you  in  that  happy  world.  How  can  you, 
then,  say  that  no  one  has  invited  you  ?  "  Why 
stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle?" 

Do  you  say  that  the  work  is  too  great?  I 
know  it  is  too  great  for  your  unaided  strength, 
but  you  may  obtain  strength  from  on  high. 
Yes,  there  is  a  power  divine,  which  stands 
ready  to  afford  all  needful  aid.  This  power 
has  sufficed  for  many.  It  may  suffice  for  you. 
There  is  not  a  want  in  the  sinner  but  there  is 
a  corresponding  fulness  in  the  blessed  Saviour. 
Fear  not,  says  this  heavenly  friend  to  the 
trembling  soul — fear  not,  I  will  help  thee,  I 
will  strengthen  thee,  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee 
by  the  right  hand  of  my  righteousness. 

Perhaps  you  think  the  work  is  so  easy  it 
may  be  accomplished  at  any  time,  even  in 
your  last  moments.  To  be  sure  it  might,  if 
God  should  then  give  you  grace.  But  are  you 
sure  that  he  will?  Is  it  likely?  When  you 
have  given  the  best  of  your  days  to  the  service 
of  the  devil,  is  it  reasonable  to  suppose  that 
God  will  accept  of  the  dregs  ?    O  !  how  many 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  347 

a  poor  sinner  is  snatched  away  without  warn- 
ing. How  many  go  deUrioiis  to  their  graves. 
And  how  many,  if  not  delirious,  are  racked 
with  pain.  How  many  are  stupid.  How  many 
are  too  feeble  to  bear  any  excitement;  and 
how  many  are  purely  under  the  influence  of 
fear.  0  !  how  unwise,  and  O  !  how  perilous  it 
is  to  put  off  to  the  last  moment  that  which 
should  engage  our  first  and  most  serious  con- 
cern? I  could  tell  you  of  some  death-bed 
scenes,  but  I  spare  you.  "  Why  stand  ye  here 
all  the  day  idle  ?" 

Do  you  say  that  the  householder  is  not  will- 
ing to  receive  you?  "Say  imto  them,  as  I 
live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleasure 
in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  but  that  he  turn 
and  live.  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  for  why  will  ye 
die,  0  house  of  Israel  ?"  Say  not  then  that 
the  householder  is  not  willing  to  receive  you  • 
at  least  say  it  not  until  with  all  your  heart 
you  have  entreated  his  favour  and  he  has 
frowned  you  away. 

Do  you  say  that  the  reward  is  not  enough? 
What!  to  have  our  sins  forgiven,  is  this  no- 
thing? to  have  our  peace  made  with  heaven, 
is  this  nothing?  and  to  be  adopted  into  the 
family  of  the  Great  God,  is  this  nothing?  The 
reward  not  enough!  What!  when  we  are 
about  to  4ie,  to  find  ourselves  under  the  shadow 
of  the  Almighty.  Is  this  nothing?  To  find 
ourselves  encircled  in  the  arms  of  everlastino- 


348  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

love,  is  this  nothing?  To  find  ourselves  en- 
compassed by  angels,  and  just  on  the  wing  for 
glory,  is  this  nothing?  And  when  the  soul  is 
dislodged  from  its  earthly  tenement,  to  be  car- 
ried by  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom — to  hear 
the  plaudit,  "Well  done,  good  and  faithful  ser- 
vant, enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord" — 
to  see  the  King  in  his  beauty — to  be  robed  and 
crowned,  and  emparadised  in  heaven — and  to 
be  associated  with  the  spirits  of  the  just  made 
perfect,  and  to  live  and  reign  with  Christ  in 
glory  everlasting — is  all  this  nothing  ?  O !  my 
brethren,  the  rewards  are  the  rewards  of  grace, 
they  are  the  purchase  of  a  Saviour's  blood, 
and  therefore  will  be  rich  and  great  beyond  all 
the  power  of  language  to  express,  or  the  heart 
of  man  to  conceive.  Immortal  man!  lose  not 
the  prize  held  up  before  you.  Be  up  and  a-do- 
ing!  "Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle?" 
O !  think  how  much  is  at  stake !  even  your 
own  soul — your  own  precious  soul !  0  !  who 
can  tell  its  value !  Suppose  this  world  were  a 
globe  of  gold,  and  each  star  in  yonder  firma- 
ment a  jewel  of  the  first  order,  and  the  moon 
a  diamond,  and  the  sun  literally  a  crown  of 
all  created  glory — one  soul,  in  value,  would 
outweigh  them  all.  Here  is  a  man  standing 
on  board  of  a  vessel  at  sea,  holding  his  hands 
over  the  sides  of  the  vessel,  he  is  sporting 
with  a  jewel,  worth  a  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars, and  which  too  is  all  his  fortune.     Play- 


REVIVAL    SERMONS.  349 

ing  with  his  jewel,  he  throws  it  up  and 
catches  it — throws  it  up  and  catches  it!  A 
friend  noticing  the  brilliancy  of  the  jewel, 
w^arns  him  of  the  danger  of  losing  it,  and  tells 
him  that  if  it  slip  through  his  fingers  it  goes 
down  to  the  bottom  of  the  deep,  and  can  be  re- 
covered no  more.  "  0  !  there  is  no  danger," 
says  he,  "  I  have  been  doing  this  a  long  time, 
and  you  see  I  have  not  lost  it  yet."  Again  he 
throws  it  up,  and — it  is  gone !  past  recovery — 
gone !  O  !  w^hen  the  man  finds  that  his  jewel 
is  indeed  lost,  and  by  his  own  folly  lost,  w^io 
can  describe  his  agony,  as  he  exclaims,  "  I 
have  lost  my  jewel,  my  fortune,  my  all !"  O  ! 
sinner,  hear  me,  casketed  in  your  bosom,  you 
have  a  jewel  of  infinitely  greater  value;  in 
idling  away  your  precious  time,  you  are  in 
danger  of  losing  that  pearl  of  price  unknown. 
In  other  w^ords,  neglecting  the  interests  of  your 
precious  soul,  you  are  in  danger  of  being  lost 
for  ever.  O !  why  neglect  any  longer  the  great 
concern  ?  Many  of  your  dearest  friends  are  in 
the  vineyard,  why  linger  you  without?  "  "Why 
stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle  ?" 

Well,  the  evening  will  come  when  the  Lord 
of  the  vineyard  will  say  to  his  steward, — 
"Call  the  labourers  and  give  them  their  hire." 
O  glorious  hour!  0,  sweet  coronation  day! 
How  will  the  labourers  come !  From  the  east 
and  from  the  west,  from  the  north  and  from 
the  south.    Millions  crowding  upon  millions! 


350  REVIVAL    SERMONS. 

Christians  of  every  communion,  and  the  pious 
from  out  of  every  nation  under  heaven.  With 
what  joy  will  they  come  around  the  heavenly 
Householder,  and  at  his  hand  receive  the  high 
rewards  of  grace.  Methinks  with  a  smile  he 
will  reach  out  to  them  the  crown — the  glitter- 
ing crown ;  and  they  will  take  the  crown — the 
glittering  crown,  and  sing  and  shout, — "  O  to 
grace  how  great  a  debtor !"  And  he  will  give 
the  robe — the  spotless  robe ;  and  they  will  take 
the  robe — the  spotless  robe,  and  sing  and  shout, 
''  O  to  grace  how  great  a  debtor !"  And  now 
all  heaven  rings  jubilee,  as  the  ransomed  of  the 
Lord  return  and  come  to  this  heavenly  Zion, 
with  songs  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their 
heads.  But  the  idlers! — those  who  all  their 
lives  long  neglected  the  great  concern ! — who 
died  without  repentance  and  without  faith ! — 
where  are  they?  Alas!  they  are  far  away! 
There  is  no  robe  for  them !  no  crown  for  them ! 
no  heaven  for  them !  They  have  lost  their  day, 
and  they  have  lost  their  soul !  and  now  nothing 
remains  for  them  but  thrilling  remorse  and 
black  despair.  0,  my  procrastinating  friends ! 
you  have  one  call  more.  It  may  be  the  call  of 
the  eleventh  hour,  and  your  last.  Surely  it  is 
high  time  to  think  about  eternity.  It  is  high 
time  to  enter  into  the  vineyard.  Then,  "  Why 
stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle?" 


351 


APPENDIX. 


In  the  year  1835,  I  received  a  letter  from  a  Christian 
brother  in  the  state  of  New  York,  requesting  my  sen- 
timents on  several  subjects  connected  with  protracted 
meetings,  revivals,  &c.  to  which  I  replied  in  substance 
as  follows: 

Frankfort,  Kentucky,  26th  May,  1835. 
Dear  Brother — Your  communication  of  the  28th 
"dU.  came  to  hand  in  due  course  of  mail.  The  subject 
of  revivals  or  religious  reformation,  is  certainly  one 
of  great  importance,  and  should  be  well  understood, 
more  especially  as  there  are  some  in  the  bosom  of  the 
Church,  excellent  Christians,  too,  who  labour  under 
prejudices  which  have  a  withering  influence,  both 
upon  themselves  and  those  around  them.  Having 
heard  that  I  have  acted  as  an  Evangelist,  and  that 
I  have  been  in  many  revivals,  you  wish  me  to  state 
something  of  what  I  have  seen  and  heard,  together 
with  the  results  of  my  experience  and  observation. 
Fifteen  years  of  my  life  have  been  devoted  to  the 
duties  of  the  pastoral  office,  and  only  about  three  to 
the  work  of  an  Evangelist,  so  called.  It  was  chiefly 
whilst  otiiciating  in  the  latter  capacity,  that  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  witnessing  the  varied  and  rich  displays  of 
the  grace  of  God  in  the  conversion  of  sinners;  and 


352  APPENDIX. 

although  I  am  again  a  pastor,  settled  amongst  an 
affectionate  people,  whom  I  tenderly  love,  and  to 
whom,  I  humbly  trust,  my  labours  have  not  been  in 
vain  in  the  Lord,  yet  I  must  confess,  that  I  look  back 
to  the  period  when  I  acted  as  an  Evangelist,  as  the 
happiest  in  my  life,  because  it  was  the  period  of  most 
labour  and  most  usefulness.  My  plan  was,  (having 
obtained  the  approbation  of  the  proper  ecclesiastical 
bodies,)  to  have  a  series  of  protracted  meetings,  spread- 
ing over  a  wide  extent  of  country,  and  so  arranging 
matters  that  I  might  have  incessant  employment. 
I  laboured  chiefly  in  South  Carolina  and  Virginia, 
but  attended  numerous  meetings  also  in  Florida,  Ala- 
bama, Georgia,  North  Carolina,  and  Ohio.  It  pleased 
God  in  the  course  of  three  years  to  make  me  an  eye 
witness  of  many  interesting  scenes;  and  I  have  sub- 
sequently inquired  with  much  solicitude  about  re- 
sults, and  find  that  there  are  lights  and  shadows — 
matter  for  joy  and  sorrow;  but,  thank  God,  upon  the 
whole,  that  which  is  cheering,  far,  very  far,  exceeds 
that  which  is  of  an  opposite  character.  But  you  wish 
me  to  be  more  particular  on  certain  points. 

1.  Mental  excitement. — You  ask  whether  it  has 
usually  been  very  strong?  I  answer,  strong  enough  to 
produce  deep  anxiety;  strong  enough  to  extort  the 
penitential  cry;  and,  in  many  cases,  strong  enough  to 
keep  the  eyes  wakeful  through  the  shades  of  night, 
and  occasion  tears,  and  sometimes  sobbing  in  the 
prayer-meeting  and  house  of  God.  Generally  speak- 
ing, however,  silence  and  solemnity  reigned  in  our 
public  and  social  meetings;  and  cases  of  disorder  and 
extravagance  have  been  very  rare.  In  about  eighty 
revivals  of  religion,  averaging  thirty  converts  each,  I 
do  not  suppose  there  were  more  than  eight  or  ten 


APPENDIX.  353 

cases  of  outcries;  and  in  nearly  all  of  them  order  and 
stillness  were  immediately  restored,  by  simply  repeat- 
ing this  beautiful  passage  of  Scripture,  "  The  Lord  is 
in  his  holy  temple,  let  all  the  earth  keep  silence  be- 
fore him!" 

2.  Measures. — I  must  confess  I  have  seen  some 
things  practiced  which  I  could  not  approve.  With 
regard  to  myself,  I  may  have  erred,  but  my  rule  lias 
been  to  confine  myself  to  no  set  of  measures  whatever; 
for  my  opinion  has  been  and  still  is,  that  a  measure 
which  might  be  useful  in  one  place,  may  be  positively 
injurious  in  another.  I  have  therefore  varied  them, 
according  to  times,  and  places,  and  circumstances. 
My  general  plan  in  conducting  a  protracted  meeting 
has  been  this :  After  the  first  sermon,  I  come  down 
from  the  pulpit,  and  address  professors  of  religion,  who 
are  respectfully  requested  to  occupy  the  seats  imme- 
diately in  front.  This  measure,  if  you  choose  to  term 
it  such,  has  usually  had  a  remarkably  happy  effect. 
After  the  second  or  third  sermon,  come  down  from 
the  pulpit  again,  and  address  the  youth  grouped  in 
the  same  way.  Sometimes,  however,  it  has  been 
found  best  to  meet  them  in  the  lecture-room.  At 
some  suitable  time  and  place,  an  appointment  is  made 
(if  in  town  or  city,)  for  men  of  business.  And  when 
the  religious  excitement  is  manifestly  spreading  and 
deepening,  I  have  found  it  of  very  great  service  to 
have  a  meeting  exclusively  for  the  unconverted,  Chris- 
tians being  gathered  together  at  the  same  time  in  an- 
other place,  praying.  This  meeting  has  usually  been 
extremely  well  attended,  and  has  scarcely  ever  failed, 
to  be  crowned  with  a  remarkable  blessing.  In  giving 
out  the  notice,  however,  I  have  found  it  very  impor- 
tant to  do  it  properly,  so  as  to  excite  curiosity,  but  not 


354  APPENDIX. 

awaken  prejudice.  I  have  been  careful  to  give  assu- 
rances that  there  was  no  intention  to  lay  snares  for 
them,  but  simply  that  they  should  be  addressed  in  a 
respectful  and  affectionate  manner.  The  lawyer  wishes 
to  see  the  jury  whom  he  addresses.  This  is  natural. 
The  eye  affects  the  heart.  And  why  should  not  the 
minister  have  distinctly  before  him  the  characters 
whom  he  wishes  particularly  to  address? 

When  certain  individuals  are  known  to  be  under 
serious  impressions,  an  invitation  is  sometimes  given, 
on  peculiarly  solemn  occasions,  for  those  who  are  se- 
rious, and  who  desire  an  interest  in  the  prayers  of 
God's  people,  to  come  forward,  or  kneel  at  their  seats. 
This  measure  I  once  did  not  approve,  but  experience 
has  taught  me  that  it  has  a  tendency  to  break  down 
the  pride  of  the  heart,  give  decision  of  character,  en- 
courage ministers,  and  rouse  the  people  of  God  to 
more  earnest  and  effectual  prayer.  I  am  free  however 
to  confess,  that  in  places  where  such  an  invitation  is  not 
expected,  in  my  opinion  it  is  not  expedient.  The  invi- 
tation is  sometimes  given  in  the  great  congregation, 
but  more  generally  in  meetings  of  a  more  select  and 
private  character.  Inquiry,  or  anxious  meetings,  have 
been  found  much  called  for,  and  of  great  benefit. 
The  plan  suggested  by  a  venerable  and  much  es- 
teemed father  in  our  church,  of  inviting  the  serious 
to  remain  after  sermon,  may  answer  in  some  cases, 
but  I  confess  I  do  not  much  like  it,  and  for  this  simple 
reason: — when  the  congregation  is  dismissed, the  cur- 
rent sets  so  strongly  towards  the  door,  that  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  resist  it.  It  is,  I  think,  much  better  to 
have  the  anxious  gathered  together  in  a  more  private 
place,  and  with  less  observation.  Before  the  pro- 
tracted meeting  is  brought  to  a  close,  it  is  almost  my 


APPENDIX.  355 

invariable  practice  to  have  an  appointment  for  chil- 
dren, from  four  to  twelve  years  of  age,  parents  also 
being  particularly  requested  to  attend.  This  meeting 
has  proved,  on  almost  every  occasion,  one  of  special 
interest.  I  have  seen  the  attention  of  the  dear  little 
ones  fixed,  chained,  for  nearly  an  hour,  their  eyes 
sparkling  with  pleasure,  and  occasionally  dimmed 
with  tears;  and  I  have  noticed  that  many  parents 
have  been  reached  through  their  children,  who  would, 
it  seems,  be  reached  in  no  other  way.  Simplicity  will 
please  little  children,  and  will  touch  parents  too.  I 
confidently  expect  to  meet  in  glory  many  parents  and 
children  who  will  praise  God  for  ever  for  meetings  of 
this  kind.  In  all  my  plans,  my  aim  has  been  to  keep 
divine  truth  in  contact  with  the  mind  as  long  as  possi- 
ble without  jading;  for  it  is  divine  truth,  sent  home 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  produces  the  effect  desired, 
that  accomplishes  the  change  upon  the  sinner  more 
glorious  tiian  the  garnishing  of  the  heavens :  and  I 
have  observed,  that  by  grouping  classes,  and  diversi- 
fying addresses,  the  attention  is  oftentimes  renewed, 
and  the  interest  kept  up  to  an  extent  that  is  really 
wonderful.  Besides  holding  special  meetings  for  the 
particular  classes  mentioned,  I  have  been  in  the  habit 
of  having  a  meeting  for  mothers,  and  I  can  truly  say 
that  such  meetings  have  proved  interesting  and  bene- 
ficial. 

3.  With  regard  to  the  "divisions  which  follow  in 
the  churches,"  I  am  happy  to  say  I  have  seen  or  heard 
very  little  of  this.  My  plan  has  been,  from  the  com- 
mencement of  the  meeting,  to  inculcate  the  great  im- 
portance of  brotherly  love,  and  to  urge  upon  all  the 
duty  of  possessing  and  manifesting  a  kind  regard  for 
each  other's  sentiments  and  feelings,  and  modes  of 


356  APPENDIX. 

worship.  Harmony,  I  may  say,  has  characterized  all 
our  meetings,  and  from  what  I  have  seen  and  known, 
I  am  persuaded  that,  in  all  ordinary  circumstances, 
there  need  be  no  difficulty,  for  there  is  something 
beautiful  and  sweet  in  the  Christian  spirit;  and  this 
spirit  is  made  peculiarly  manifest  in  seasons  of  re- 
freshing from  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  Only  let 
ministers  avoid  all  uncharitable  and  censorious  re- 
marks; let  them  be  ever  kind  and  conciliatory — let 
them  aim,  not  at  building  up  a  particular  church  or 
party,  but  let  them  seek  simply  the  glory  of  God  in 
the  conversion  of  sinners,  and  if  they  existed  before, 
all  jarrings  will  soon  cease,  and  all  prejudices  soon 
vanish  away.  The  Spirit  of  God  working  upon  the 
unrenewed  mind  converts  the  lion  into  a  lamb,  the 
vulture  into  a  dove;  and  shall  not  the  same  spirit 
soften  down  those  who  have  already  been  renewed? 
With  regard  to  Evangelists,  I  think  in  our  church 
there  is  great  occasion  for  them:  but  I  would  remark, 
it  is  matter  of  the  last  importance  that  they  be  pru- 
dent, and  under  the  influence  of  a  right  spirit.  Two 
things  are  indispensable: — First,  that  they  go  only 
where  they  are  invited  by  the  proper  authorities  of 
the  church;  and  secondly,  that  in  all  things  they  con- 
sult the  wishes,  and  submit  to  the  will,  of  the  pastor. 
I  would  further  observe,  that  it  is  of  the  last  import- 
ance that  the  evangelist  should  duly  appreciate  the 
sacredness  and  responsibility  of  the  pastoral  office, 
always  speaking  highly  of  the  stated  means  of  grace. 
And  one  main  object,  I  think,  which  he  should  ever 
have  in  view,  is  to  strengthen  the  reciprocal  afl'ection 
of  pastor  and  people ;  and  to  this  end  it  is  extremely 
desirable  that  every  evangelist  should  have  himself 
been  a  pastor. 


APPENDIX.  357 

4.  In  relation  to  the  Press,  I  would  say,  our  reli- 
gious papers  render  substantial  aid  to  the  cause  of 
Zion.  They  are  of  immense  service,  containing  often- 
times information  of  an  extremely  valuable  character, 
and  circulating  intelligence  which  comes  to  us,  "like 
cold  water  to  the  thirsty  soul."  But  frequently  the 
accounts  which  are  given  of  protracted  meetings  and 
revivals,  are  too  highly  coloured,  and  sometimes  there 
is  a  freedom  of  remark  indulged  in,  which,  to  say  the 
least,  is  not  good  to  the  use  of  edifying.  Alas,  poor 
human  nature  !  Every  thing  is  stamped  with  imper- 
fection in  this  wo'rld. 

Before  I  close  this  letter,  permit  me  to  say  some- 
thing on  the  subject  of  revivals  in  general,  for  there 
are  many  groundless  prejudices.  Some  tell  us,  "  they 
know  not  what  a  revival  of  religion  means."  When 
we  speak  of  the  revival  of  commerce,  or  the  revival  of 
learning,  or  the  revival  of  a  plant,  the  meaning  is 
clearly  understood.  Why  not,  with  equal  ease,  un- 
derstand what  is  meant  by  the  revival  of  religion. 
"But  so  many  persons  are  converted  at  the  same 
time  !  Is  it  not  all  sympathy  ?"  The  work  is  the 
work  of  God,  and  surely  He  that  originally  grouped 
the  stars  in  the  firmament  of  heaven,  can  with  equal 
ease,  group  those  who  are  to  shine  as  stars  for  ever 
and  ever.  "  But  is  there  not  a  great  deal  of  extrava- 
gance ?"  No,  not  if  the  ministers  are  prudent,  and 
the  meetings  are  properly  conducted,  and  closed  at 
proper  hours.  "  Are  there  no  individual  cases  of 
fanaticism?  No  excesses  whatever?"  Perhaps  occa- 
sionally there  may  be.  What  then  ?  The  excesses  of 
Carlstadt,  and  the  fanaticism  of  the  Anabaptists  of 
Germany,  did  much  to  bring  the  Reformation  into  dis- 
repute 5  but  where  is  the  American,  where  the  lover 


358  APPENDIX. 

of  civil  and  religious  liberty,  who  will  not  bless  God 
for  the  glorious  Reformation,  notwithstanding  the  ex- 
cesses of  Carlstadt,  and  the  fanaticism  of  the  Anabap- 
tists of  Germany  ?  "  But  can  sinners  be  converted  so 
suddenly?"  In  every  case,  perhaps  without  excep- 
tion, they  go  the  round  to  work  out  their  own  right- 
eousness before  they  submit  to  Christ ;  but  after  all, 
is  not  regeneration  instantaneous?  Is  not  this  doc- 
trine recognized  in  all  our  standard  works  ?  Is  it  not 
the  doctrine  of  the  Bible  ?  "  But  are  there  no  spu- 
rious conversions?"  There  may  be;  and  are  we  not 
taught  to  expect  such  things  in  the  13th  chapter  of 
Matthew?  Spurious  conversions!  And  are  all  pure 
gold  who  come  into  the  church  when  there  is  no  spe- 
cial excitement?  Spurious  conversions!  A  friend 
makes  me  a  present  of  a  bundle  of  bank  bills  in  the 
hour  of  my  necessity.  On  examining  them,  I  find  one 
or  two  counterfeit.  Shall  I  send  back  the  bundle  and 
despise  the  gift?  "But  does  not  the  excitement  soon 
cease?"  There  is  no  necessity  for  it.  I  have  heard 
of  a  revival  which  lasted  two  years,  another  which 
lasted  six  years,  and  I  think  the  Bible  tells  me  of  one 
which  is  to  last  a  thousand  years!  It  is  our  privilege 
to  have  not  merely  a  shower,  but  a  whole  day's  set- 
rain.  Suppose,  however,  the  positive  excitement  is 
not  lasting,  may  not  much  good  fruit  nevertheless  re- 
main? A  refreshing  shower  comes  in  time  of  drought, 
and  vegetation  takes  a  start.  A  few  days  after,  the  soil 
is  dry  again.  Did  the  shower  therefore  do  no  good? 
"But  do  not  some  of  the  converts,  so  called,  fall  away?" 
Be  it  so.  Go  into  your  orchard;  your  trees  are  in  full 
bloom.  Some  of  those  blossoms  are  going  to  fall 
away  without  fruit.  What  then?  Would  you  have 
no  blossoms  at  all;  or  would  you  have  only  two  or 


APPENDIX.  359 

three  blossoms  this  year,  and  two  or  three  the  next? 
According  to  a  calculation  which  1  have  made,  only 
about  one  in  fifteen  or  twenty  of  those  hopefully  con- 
verted, fall  away.  And  what  then?  Here  is  a  revival, 
and  one  hundred  profess  conversion,  but  only  one  half 
are  really  converted  and  saved  from  the  damnation  of 
hell,  and  brought  home  to  God  and  to  glory!  Is  that 
nothing?  I  think  I  have  somewhere  read  that  there 
is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over  one 
sinner  that  repenteth.  But  you  know  how  frivolous 
are  the  objections  so  frequently  urged,  so  I  need  say 
nomore. 

Your  Brother  in  Christ, 

Daniel  Baker. 


360  APPENDIX. 


INTERESTING  RECOLLECTIONS. 


Facts  are  beautiful  things,  and  not  unfrequently 
they  furnisli  fine  iUustrations  of  sentiments  and  doc- 
trines, known  and  believed  by  all  who  respect  the 
sacred  volume.  In  the  Pastor's  Journal,  1  have 
noticed  a  variety  of  cases  related  by  those  who  were 
eye-witnesses  of  what  they  communicated ;  and  I 
verily  believe  that  the  publication  of  them  has  proved 
to  be  exceedingly  useful.  Having  myself  during 
many  revivals  of  religion,  witnessed  a  number  of  very 
interesting  things,  I  thought  it  proper  to  make  a 
record  of  them,  some  of  which  are  now  laid  before 
the  public,  as  a  suitable  appendage  to  the  foregoing 
sermons,  and  illustrative  of  certain  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture often  quoted. 

ASK    AND    YE    SHALL   RECEIVE. 

1.  In  a  certain  town  in  Georgia,  lived  Mrs.  M. 
a  pious  widow  lady.  She  had  two  sons  in  a  distant 
State,  whom  she  had  not  seen  for  many  years.  They 
were  thoughtless  young  men,  and  avowedly  infidel 
in  their  sentiments.  She  received  a  letter  from  her 
sons  promising  an  early  visit.  About  this  period  an 
arrangement  was  made  with  myself,  to  hold  a  pro- 
tracted meeting  in  the  place  of  Mrs.  M's  residence, 


APPENDIX.  361 

SO  soon  as  it  would  suit  my  convenience.  The  pious 
mother,  exceedingly  anxious  for  the  conversion  of 
her  long  absent  and  beloved  sons,  made  it  a  matter 
of  special  prayer,  that  the  Providence  of  God  would 
so  order  matters  that  the  visit  of  her  sons,  and  the 
contemplated  meeting,  might  take  place  at  the  same 
time.  The  young  men  came ;  remained  several  days, 
and  then  said  they  must  return.  They  fixed  on  Fri- 
day night,  when  they  must  go  without  fail,  in  the 
stage.  Poor  mother !  the  meeting  to  which  she  looked 
forward  with  so  much  anxiety,  had  not  commenced. 
The  minister  had  not  arrived.  It  seemed  as  if  her 
prayers  had  availed  nothing.  On  the  morning  of  the 
day  fixed  for  their  departure  she  was  told  that  the 
minister  was  come,  and  the  first  sermon  would  be 
preached  that  very  night.  How  tantalizing !  But 
mark  the  ingenuity  of  a  pious  mother!  Having 
ascertained  that  the  stage  would  not  go  that  evening 
until  9  or  10  o'clock,  she  entreated  her  sons  to  go  to 
church,  and  there  remain  until  the  sounding  of  the 
stage  horn  should  summon  them  away.  I  believe 
that  most  mothers  would  have  said,  I  have  not  seen 
my  sons  for  a  long  time  ;  I  may  never  see  them  any 
more.  I  believe  I  will  not  go  to  church  myself,  this 
evening.  I  will  enjoy  their  company  as  long  as  I 
can.  But  no !  Had  she  not  offered  special  prayer 
that  they  might  be  present  and  receive  a  blessing 
at  that  meeting  ?  "  Come,  my  sons,  go  with  me  to 
church  this  evening,  and  hear  what  you  can."  They 
yielded.  They  went;  and  that  night  God  answered 
the  mother's  prayers.  Both  were  brought  under 
powerful  conviction.  Near  the  closing  of  the  ser- 
vices of  the  sanctuary,  the  sounding  of  the  stage  horn 
was  heard,  sure  enough.     According  to  arrangement 

24 


362  APPENDIX. 

they  hurried  away  to  the  office — but,  behold!  the 
stage  was  full !  They  were  obliged  to  remain  until 
Monday  following.  On  the  Sabbath  we  had  a  most 
solemn  time.  When  the  anxious  were  invited  to 
come  forward,  or  kneel  at  their  seat,  if  they  desired 
the  prayers  of  God's  people,  (according  to  the  custom 
of  that  place,)  several  immediately  knelt  at  their 
seats.  Two  young  men  came  forward  and  kneeled 
near  the  desk — and  only  two.  I  saw  an  elderly  lady 
at  some  distance,  rise,  and  leaning  forward,  she  fast- 
ened her  tearful  eyes  upon  them.  It  was  the  niother, 
and  these  young  men  were  her  sons !  Many  eyes 
were  fixed  upon  her,  but  nobody  said,  Madam,  sit 
down. — No !  It  was  a  sacred  sight.  Heaven  bless 
the  mother  !  Let  her  stand.  Let  lier  look  on.  0  ! 
it  was  worth  an  angel's  visit  from  the  skies !  That 
day  both  of  these  young  men  obtained  a  joyful  hope. 
Verily,  it  would  have  touched  a  heart  of  rock  to  have 
seen  the  sons,  both  of  them  throwing  their  arms 
around  the  neck  of  their  beloved  mother — now  a  thou- 
sand times  dearer  than  ever — and  telling  her  that  the 
Lord  had  heard  her  prayers,  and  blessed  them,  as 
they  hoped,  with  his  forgiving  love  !  Verily,  the 
name  of  Jesus,  in  that  moment  uttered  by  them,  came 
over  her  with  all  the  sweetness  and  the  power  of  a 
charm. 

I  saw  the  happy  mother.  She  grasped  my  hand. 
She  wept.  The  tears  which  rolled  down  her  cheeks 
were  tears  of  religious  joy.  For  a  few  moments  she 
was  silent.  When  she  spoke  she  blessed  God,  and 
said,  in  the  very  words  of  Mary,  "  My  soul  doth 
magnify  tlie  Lord,  and  my  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  God 
my  Saviour,  for  he  hath  regarded  the  low  estate  of 
his  hand-maiden."    Verily,  there  is  a  God  in  the  hea- 


APPENDIX.  363 

vens  who  heareth  prayer!     One  of  those  sons,  I  am 
told,  is  now  a  preacher.     Take  another  case. 

2.  Whilst  a  meeting  of  much  interest  was  going 
on  in  a  certain  country  town  in  Virginia,  Mr.  K.,  a 
pious  young  man,  selected  a  young  lawyer  who  was 
a  noted  scorner,  and  made  him  the  subject  of  special 
prayer.  About  two  days  afterwards  the  young  law- 
yer came  to  the  house  where  the  pastor  was.  I  my- 
self was  in  the  same  house  at  the  time,  but  being  par- 
ticularly engaged,  I  requested  the  pastor  to  speak  to 
him.  "  0,"  says  he,  "  he  is  not  serious."  Yes,  I  re- 
plied, he  must  be,  or  he  would  not  come  here.  "  I 
know  him  better  than  you  do,"  said  the  pastor,  "he 
is  a  scorner.  There  is  no  hope  of  him."  The  young 
lawyer  was  permitted  to  depart,  I  believe,  without  a 
single  religious  remark  having  been  made  to  him. 
My  conjectures  were  true.  He  was  then  under  awa- 
kening influences. 

Perhaps  two  weeks  after  that,  this  young  lawyer, 
now  rejoicing  in  Christ,  was  riding  along  the  road  on 
his  way  to  a  protracted  meeting,  about  to  be  held  in 
an  adjacent  county.  Before  he  reached  the  place,  he 
fell  in  with  another  young  man,  Mr.  P.,  going  to 
the  same  meeting.  Religious  conversation  was  intro- 
duced, and  the  awakened  lawyer  spoke  freely  of  the 
change  of  views  and  feelings  which  he  had  expe- 
rienced, and  ascribed  them,  under  God,  to  the  prayers 
of  his  friend,  Mr.  K.,  who  had  selected  him  as  the 
subject  of  special  prayer.  "  Ah  !"  said  Mr.  P.,  '•'  I 
had  friends  once  who  used  to  pray  for  me;  but  I  have 
been  so  careless,  so  wicked,  they  do  not  think  it  worth 
while  to  pray  for  me  now.  They  have  all  given  me 
up.  There  is  not  an  individual  I  suppose  on  earth 
who  remembers  me  in  prayer."     "  0  yes,"  replied 


364  APPENDIX. 

the  young  lawyer,  "  there  is  one,  I  know."  "  Who 
is  it  ?"  quickly  asked  Mr.  P.  "  The  very  same  who 
prayed  for  me  has  made  you  the  subject  of  special 
prayer."  "Is  it  possible!"  said  Mr.  P.,  and  throw- 
ing himself  back,  he  had  well  nigh  fallen  from  the 
horse  upon  which  he  was  riding.  From  that  moment 
he  waked  up  to  the  claims  of  his  undying  soul.  A 
few  days  after,  with  great  joy,  he  was  telling  to  those 
around  what  a  dear  Saviour  he  had  found.  Blessed 
be  God,  the  eifectual  fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous 
man  availeth  much.     Take  another  case. 

3.  During  a  protracted  meeting  held  in  S — ,  Alaba- 
ma, two  daughters  of  Zion  met  every  day  to  pray 
together  for  their  beloved  husbands,  who  were  highly 
respectable,  but  strangers  to  God's  converting  grace. 
One  was  a  moralist,  so  called ;  the  other  an  avowed 
infidel.  Before  the  meeting  closed,  both  of  those  were, 
I  believe,  soundly  converted.  The  latter  died  some 
time  after  in  great  triumph;  the  former  continues  to 
this  day,  if  I  mistake  not,  a  much  valued  member  of 
the  church  of  Christ  with  which  he  first  united  him- 
self. 

4.  A  meeting  which  led  to   some  important  and 

happy  results,  took  place  some  years  since  in , 

Georgia.  Religion  was  at  a  low  ebb  in  that  place. 
There  were  sad  jarrings  amongst  those  who  were 
taught  by  their  Master  to  love  one  another.  The  first 
sermon  was  preached  on  Saturday  evening.  On  the 
Sabbath  we  had  a  pretty  large  congregation,  and  some 
considerable  interest  was  manifested;  but  right  melan- 
choly was  it  on  Monday,  to  see  how  few  came  to  the 
sanctuary.  Scarcely  any  but  females.  The  men  of 
the  place,  generally,  seemed  to  take  no  interest  in 
the  meeting  whatever;  nay,  some  of  them  opposed. 


APPENDIX.  365 

and  even  forbid  their  families  attending.  The  meet- 
ing, however,  went  on,  and  of  a  truth  the  Lord  was 
with  us.  By  Wednesday  morning  something  Uke 
ten  females  were  hopefully  converted,  but  not  a  sin- 
gle male,  man  or  boy.  Indeed,  up  to  that  hour  we 
saw  scarcely  a  single  unconverted  man  (particularly 
during  the  day)  in  the  church.  We  were  not  discour- 
aged— we  resolved  to  hold  on.  That  morning,  at  the 
prayer-meeting  which  preceded  preaching,  those  pre- 
sent, (and  a  precious  band  it  was,)  were  reminded, 
of  what  indeed  they  knew  full  well,  that  the  men 
were  still  uninterested.  The  case  of  Paulwas  stated, 
who  went  to  the  place  where  prayer  was  wont  to  be 
made,  and  spake  to  certain  women  that  resorted  there, 
and  the  glorious  results  were  also  brought  to  their  re- 
collection, and  they  were  urged  to  offer  up  special  and 
incessant  prayer  for  the  men.  After  preaching  that 
morning  there  was  much  whispering.  One  said  to 
another,  as  they  were  returning  to  their  houses,  "  Did 
you  see  Captain  H.  at  church  this  morning?"  "  Yes." 
"What  brought  him  there  ?"  "  I  don't  know,  but  I 
certainly  saw  him."  In  the  afternoon  Captain  H.  was 
there  again — and  at  night !  The  next  morning  also ! 
"Why  what  is  the  matter?  Captain  H.  come  three 
times  a  day  !  Weil,  this  is  strange  !"  But  who  is 
Captain  H.  ?  Why,  a  man  of  the  world — a  man  of 
considerable  influence,  and  supposed  to  be  a  skeptic. 
Moreover,  a  very  firm  and  courageous  man,  who  a 
few  weeks  before  had  arrested  a  man  when  the  she- 
riff, with  all  tlie  force  that  he  could  get,  could  not  ar- 
rest him.  This  is  the  man  who,  manifestly  in  answer 
to  the  prayers  of  the  people  of  God,  is  brought  to  the 
sanctuary,  and  there  led  to  consider  his  latter  end. 
In  the  afternoon  of  Thursday  he  came  again.     Upon 


366  APPENDIX. 

the  close  of  the  sermon,  great  seriousness  being  visi- 
ble, the  anxious  were  invited  to  kneel  at  their  seats  if 
they  desired  to  be  prayed  for.  Immediately  Captain 
H.  dropped  upon  his  knees,  and  two  others  were  at 
his  side.  The  thing  was  soon  noised  abroad,  and  the 
men  began  to  flock  in  wonderfully.  "  Captain  H.  is 
becoming  religious."  "You  don't  say  so  !  Well,  I 
will  go  and  see."  Soon  Divine  influences  began  to 
rest  upon  the  men  in  a  remarkable  manner,  and  in  a 
short  time  we  had  the  happiness  of  seeing,  among 
others,  as  many  as  eight  or  ten  men  who  had  pro- 
fessed to  have  found  the  Saviour  precious  to  their 
souls.  Captain  H.  has  since  become  an  active  Chris- 
tian, and  a  superintendent  of  the  Sabbath  School  in 
that  place. 

"  It  shan't  be  said  that  praying  breath 
Was  ever  spent  in  vain." 

WHEN    THE    LORD  TURNED    AGAIN  OUR  CAPTIVITY,  WE 
WERE  LIKE  THEM  THAT  DREAMED. 

1.  During  the  great  revival  in  B — ,  Mr.  F.,  a  talented 
lawyer,  was  numbered  amongst  the  converts.  His 
case  was  a  very  clear  and  delightful  one.  He  was 
one  of  several,  who,  brought  in  at  that  time,  have  de- 
voted themselves  to  the  gospel  ministry.  Already  has 
Mr.  F.  entered  the  ministry — already  has  he  been  in- 
strumental in  winning  many  souls  to  Christ.  Imme- 
diately after  his  conversion,  I  called  upon  him.  He 
was  upon  the  mount!  With  a  countenance  radiant 
with  delight,  he  grasped  my  hand,  and  exclaimed, 
"0,  sir,  I  have  an  ocean  of  joy!" 

2.  When  Mr.  P.  (the  young  man  mentioned  in  the 
previous  article,)  obtained  a  hope  of  an  interest  in  a 
Saviour's  blood,  he  seemed  to  be  one  of  the  happiest 


APPENDIX.  367 

creatures  on  earth.  Every  thing  was  new;  every 
thing  deUghtfal — the  trees  waving  in  the  forest, 
the  birds  carolling  in  the  groves,  the  sun  shining  in 
the  heavens,  and  the  dew  drops  sparkUng  with  the 
beams  of  the  morning, — all  seemed  to  congratulate 
him  upon  his  surprising  and  happy  change.  Stand- 
ing, as  it  were,  in  a  new  world,  he  remarked,  "I  am 
a  happy  man  !  I  have  had  more  happiness  in  one 
half  hour  since  my  conversion,  than  I  thought  I  should 
have  even  in  heaven !" 

3.  At  a  meeting  in  Florida,  Mr.  A.,  who  had  been 
a  disciple  of  Fanny  Wright,  and  a  very  profane  man, 
was  happily  brought  to  feel  his  need  of  a  Saviour. 
After  very  pungent  convictions,  he  obtained  a  joyful 
hope.  But  the  transition  from  the  gloom  of  infidelity 
to  the  brightness  of  gospel  day,  was  so  great  that 
he  was  literally  like  one  that  dreamed.  He  coiild 
scarcely  believe  that  such  a  sinner  as  he  had  been, 
could  find  mercy!  It  was  almost  too  good  to  be  true. 
Surely  it  must  be  a  dream!  But,  no — it  is  a  blessed 
reality!  In  this  frame  of  mind,  I  recollect,  he  entered 
the  inquiry  meeting,  one  day,  and  every  now  and  then, 
indulged  in  some  exclamation  of  joy.  As  there  were 
a  number  of  interesting  persons  present,  who  were 
only  a  little  serious,  I  was  fearful  lest  they  might  be 
prejudiced  by  such  things;  and  in  apologizing  for  Mr. 
A.,  I  made  a  remark  of  this  kind,  that  it  was  not  at 
all  surprising  if  a  young  convert  should  be  almost  wild 
with  joy.  Was  not  Archimedes  wild  with  joy,  when  he 
had  found  out  how  to  solve  a  certain  problem?  And, 
continued  I,  when  a  man  of  the  world  has  dra.\vn  a 
prize  in  the  lottery — twenty-five  thousand  dollars,  for 
instance. — Here  the  converted  infidel  interrupted  me, 
^' Don't  say  twenty-five  thousand  dollars,"  said  he, 


368  APPENDIX. 

Starting  from  his  seat,  "don't  say  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars,  sir, — say  millions,  sir,  say  millions!" 

BEHOLD   HOW   GOOD    AND    HOW    PLEASANT     IT    IS    FOR     BRE- 
THREN  TO    DWELL  TOGETHER    IN    UNITY. 

1.  During  a  protracted  meeting  held  in  G — ,  a  plea- 
sant summer  retreat,  in  one  of  our  southern  States,  an 
address  was  made  to  those  who  were  professedly  the 
people  of  God.  Amongst  other  things,  they  were 
exhorted  to  cherish  a  spirit  of  brotherly  love,  and 
if  they  had  had  any  quarrel  with  another,  to  for- 
give. They  were  afiectionately  urged  to  pass  an  act 
of  forgiveness,  without  delay,  and  to  seize  the  very 
first  opportunity  to  extend  the  hand,  and  to  do  it  cor- 
dially. In  about  twenty  minutes  after,  wliile  the  ser- 
vices were  yet  going  on,  an  elderly  lady  rose  up, 
passed  by  me,  and  gave  her  hand  to  another  lady. 
I  certainly  did  not  expect  the  exhortation  to  operate 
so  soon,  or  at  least  in  this  way,  but  verily  I  was  not 
displeased — no  one  was  displeased.  On  the  contrary, 
a  wave  of  delicious  feeling  passed  over  the  whole 
assembly.  Many  eyes  were  filled  with  tears,  and 
metiiinks  in  that  moment  the  God  of  love  looked  pro- 
pitious down.  Mark  the  sequel !  that  lady  at  that 
time  had  two  sons  and  a  daughter,  all  grown,  and 
all  yet  unconverted.  Before  the  protracted  meeting 
closed,  she  had  the  unspeakable  satisfaction  of  seeing 
all  three  rejoicing  in  the  hope  of  glory  !  What  is  this 
but  the  broad  seal  of  heaven's  approbation  ?  "  Be- 
loved," says  John,  "  let  us  love  one  another,  for  love 
is  of  God,  and  every  one  that  loveth  is  born  of  God, 
and  knoweth  God.  He  that  loveth  not,  knoweth  not 
God,  for  God  is  love." 

2.  I  recollect  another  case  which  occurred  in  Vir- 


APPENDIX.  '  369 

ginia.  Whilst  addressing  professors  of  religion,  I,  as 
my  custom  was,  urged  the  great  duty  of  forgiveness, 
and  in  order  to  give  greater  effect  to  my  exhortations, 
I  stated  the  case  already  mentioned,  as  one  pleasing 
to  God  and  worthy  of  all  commendation,  and  then 
made  a  remark  of  this  kind  :  "  If  there  are  any  pre- 
sent in  similar  circumstances,  let  them  go  and  do  like- 
wise." Whilst  I  was  yet  speaking,  an  elder  of  the 
church  reached  out  his  hand  over  the  benches  to  one 
who  sat  at  some  distance,  and  with  much  feeling 
said,  "Neighbour,  here  is  my  hand."  Another  elder 
also  arose,  a  man  of  silvery  locks,  and  hurrying  to 
another  part  of  the  house,  gave  his  hand  to  an  indi- 
vidual, who  grasped  it,  and  said  aloud,  "  This  is  the 
very  thing  I  have  long  wished  for."  Need  I  say  that 
a  revival  followed !  Of  a  truth  we  had  blessed  times. 
How  beautiful  are  the  words  of  the  Apostle,  "  And 
be  ye  kind  one  to  another,  tender-hearted,  forgiving 
one  another,  even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  for- 
given you." 

3.  In ,  State  of ,  lived  a  minister  of  the 

gospel,  a  man  of  some  considerable  wealth  and  tal- 
ents, but  in  a  wretchedly  backslidden  state.  He  had 
instituted  three  law  suits,  two  of  them  against  Mr. 
P.,  an  amiable  man,  and  a  warm-hearted  Christian. 
Eminent  lawyers  were  employed,  and  the  suits  were 
of  such  a  nature  as,  if  brought  into  court,  would  have 
thrown  the  whole  community  into  a  ferment.  Whilst 
matters  were  in  this  condition,  a  revival  commenced 
in  the  neighbourhood.  Both  were  much  interested. 
The  minister  began  to  feel  that  he  had  indulged  too 
much  of  a  contentious  spirit.  Receiving,  moreover, 
a  letter  at  this  time  from  a  connexion  of  his,  recently 
converted,  he  wept,  was  completely  softened  down, 


370  APPENDIX. 

and  forthwith  gave  directions  to  his  lawyers  to  drop 
the  suits.  The  very  next  morning,  if  I  mistake  not, 
he  went  to  a  prayer  meeting,  where  he  met  Mr.  P., 
offered  him  his  hand,  and  told  him  that  he  should 
prosecute  his  suits  no  further.  Mr.  P.,  much  affected, 
threw  himself  upon  his  shoulders,  and  wept  aloud. 
0  !  it  was  a  scene  of  thrilling  interest.  Methinks 
hovering  angels  looked  in  each  other's  faces,  smiled, 
and  began  to  chant  David's  beautiful  psalm  : 

"Behold,  how  good  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for  bre- 
thren to  dwell  together  in  unity!  It  is  like  the  pre- 
cious ointment  upon  the  head,  that  ran  down  upon 
the  beard,  even  Aaron's  beard  :  that  went  down  to 
the  skirts  of  his  garments;  As  the  dew  of  Hermon, 
and  as  the  dew  that  descended  upon  the  mountains 
of  Zion :  for  there  the  Lord  commanded  the  blessing, 
even  life  for  evermore," 

4.  I  recollect  yet  another  case.  During  the  pro- 
gress of  a  delightful  meeting  in  a  country  church  in 
East  Tennessee,  having  occasion  to  speak  on  the  sub- 
ject of  forgiving  injuries,  I  stated  one  or  two  of  the 
preceding  cases,  and  then,  in  substance  spoke  as  fol- 
lows :  "  I  know  nothing  of  the  state  of  things  in  this 
church,  for  I  am  here  only  as  a  stranger,  in  a  strange 
land.  I  know  not  whether  there  has  been  any  diffi- 
culty or  variance  between  any  now  present.  Neither 
your  beloved  pastor  nor  any  other  person  has  said  a 
word  to  me  on  the  subject,  but  drawing  a  bow  at  a 
venture,  I  will  repeat  a  remark  which  I  am  in  the 
habit  of  making  in  many  places  : — Is  there  a  person 
in  the  world  with  whom  you  would  not  shake  hands? 
If  so,  I  solemnly  charge  you  now,  in  the  presence  of 
God  and  his  elect  angels,  and  before  Jesus  Christ, 
who  shall  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  at  his  appear- 


APPENDIX.  371 

ing  and  his  kingdom — I  solemnly  charge  you,  pass 
an  act  of  forgiveness  this  moment,  and  seize  the  ear- 
liest opportunity  to  extend  the  hand  in  token  of  for- 
giveness. '  Beloved,'  continued  I,  '  let  us  love  one 
another,  for  love  is  of  God,  and  every  one  that  loveth 
is  born  of  God  and  knoweth  God ;  he  that  loveth  not, 
knoweth  not  God ;  for  God  is  love.'  "  Saying  these 
things,  in  a  few  moments  I  pronounced  the  benedic- 
tion, and  as  the  congregation  were  beginning  to  dis- 
perse, two  gentlemen,*  who  had,  it  seems,  been  literal- 
ly at  swords'  points,  looked  at  each  other,  and  rushed 
into  each  other's  embrace,  weeping  abundantly.  0  ! 
it  was  a  lovely  and  touching  sight  !  It  was  the 
triumph  of  grace  over  corrupt  human  nature.  Surely 
religion  comes  to  bless  and  not  to  curse.  It  comes  to 
change  hearts,  to  convert  the  lion  into  a  lamb,  the 
vulture  into  a  dove. 

WHERE  SIN  ABOUNDED,  GRACE  DID  MUCH  MORE  ABOUND. 

1.  Some  time  ago,  a  meeting  of  several  days  con- 
tinuance, was  held  in  G — ,  a  pleasant  summer  retreat 
in  South  Carolina.  Awakening  influences  went 
abroad  upon  the  people  almost  from  its  very  com- 
mencement. To  increase  the  solemnity,  the  Provi- 
dence of  God  concurred  with  the  preaching  of  the 
word.  Death  upon  the  pale  horse  came  and  took 
away  a  victim.  A  young  lawyer  was  cut  down  in 
the  midst  of  his  years  !  All  classes  of  persons  now 
seemed  to  be  aroused  to  a  concern  for  their  undying 
souls.  There  was  one  young  man,  however,  the  only 
son  of  his  mother,  and  she  a  widow,  who  took  his 

*  One  some  time  before  had  actually  attempted  to  take  the 
life  of  the  other. 


372  APPENDIX. 

Stand  openly  on  the  side  of  opposition.  He  was  an 
avowed  infidel.  He  threatened  to  lay  the  hand  of 
violence  upon  the  ministers,  and  once  made  this 
remark:  "When  I  die  I  will  go  to  hell,  and  make  a 
row  there,  and  drive  the  Almighty  from  his  throne  !" 
How  impious!  How  daring!  That  evening  he  went 
to  church,  and  as  usual,  endeavoured  to  make  sport 
of  what  was  said  from  the  pulpit.  It  pleased  God, 
however,  to  send  a  word  like  an  arrow  to  his  heart. 
His  sins  flashed  upon  his  view.  He  literally  trem- 
bled upon  his  seat,  and  after  the  benediction  was  pro- 
nounced, he  came  up  to  me,  grasped  my  hand,  and 
with  great  anxiety  asked  what  he  must  do  to  be 
saved?  It  was  but  another  case  of  the  Philippian 
jailor,  and  I  could  do  no  better  than  reply  in  the 
words  of  the  Apostle,  "Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  Two  days  after 
this,  I  saw  him,  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing.  0  !  it 
would  have  done  any  one  good  to  have  seen  his  dear 
mother  throwing  her  arms  around  him,  and  saying, 
in  the  joy  of  her  heart,  "  This  my  son  was  dead  and 
is  alive  again,  was  lost  and  is  found  !"  Subsequently 
this  young  man  went  to  the  north,  to  prepare  to 
preach  "  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God." 
2.  A  few  weeks  after  the  meeting  just  mentioned, 

one  of  a  similar  kind  was  held  at  ,  about  fifty 

miles  distant.  The  first  sermon  was  preached  on 
Tuesday  night,  and  by  Thursday  afternoon  the  waters 
were  troubled,  and  a  goodly  number  had  stepped  into 
the  pool.  There  was  one  man,  however,  who  had  no 
idea  of  such  "  carryings  on.'^  He  was  a  very  irre- 
ligious man,  and  although  he  heard  perhaps  every 
sermon,  he  liked  none  of  them,  but  generally  returned 
from  church  in  a  rage.     On  Thursday  evening  I  was 


APPENDIX.  373 

invited  to  take  tea  at  the  house  where  he  lodged. 
When  he  heard  it  he  was  angry.  When  he  saw  me 
coming,  he,  as  I  have  been  told,  swore  terribly.  On 
entering  the  house  I  was  introduced  by  a  friend,  who 
immediately  retired.  Left  alone  with  this  man,  I 
confess  I  felt  very  awkwardly  fixed,  and  scarcely 
knowing  what  to  say,  I  made  a  remark  of  this  kind  : 
"  Well,  sir,  I  think  we  have  had  a  very  interesting 
meeting  this  afternoon."  Immediately  he  burst  into 
tears,  crying  aloud,  "  Mercy !  mercy  !  Lord  have 
mercy  upon  me  !"  "  Shall  I  pray  for  you,  my  dear 
sir?"  said  L  "Most  willingly,  most  willingly,"  re- 
plied he.  When  I  finished  praying,  he  seemed  so 
bowed  down  he  could  scarcely  rise  from  his  knees. 
That  night  there  was  no  rest  for  him.  The  next  day 
he  was  found  amongst  the  anxious — a  few  days  after, 
amongst  the  people  of  God  !  and  is  now,  it  seems,  a 
valuable  member  of  the  church.     God  be  praised ! 

3.  The  case  of  Dr.  B.,  brought  in  at  the  eleventh 
hour,  is  yet  more  remarkable.  Licensed  by  the  Pres- 
bytery of ,  in  the  year  1793,  he  preached  a  few 

sermons,  (he  entered  the  ministry  purely,  it  seems,  to 
please  his  parents,)  then  abandoned  the  ministry  and 
became  a  deist.  In  the  year  1797,  he  declared  him- 
self an  atheist.  From  that  period,  and  for  many  a  long 
year  afterwards,  even  until  his  locks  became  hoary 
with  age,  he  waged  open  war  with  the  God  of  the 
Bible.  I  had  heard  much  of  Dr.  B.  as  a  man  of  in- 
fluence, and  one  who  had  done  immense  mischief  I 
confess  my  curiosity  was  excited  to  see  the  man.  At 
a  protracted  meeting  held  at  M — ,  Dr.  B.  was  present. 
He  was  awakened — was  brought  under  deep  and 
pungent  conviction.  I  conversed  with  him.  He  was 
in  an  awful  state  of  mind;  for,  though  evidently  under 


374  APPENDIX. 

Divine  influences,  he  had  a  great  many  objections  to 
the  Bible — quarrelled  with  Moses — did  not  like  his 
account  of  the  creation  of  the  world.  "Dr.  B.,"  said 
I,  at  last,  "if  you  will  indulge  such  a  disposition  to 
cavil,  there  is  no  need  to  say  any  thing  more  to  you, 
sir."  I  immediately  changed  the  conversation.  The 
next  morning  at  prayer-meeting,  the  Dr.  requested 
permission  to  make  a  remark.  Permission  was  grant- 
ed.  He  arose,  with  much  emotion,  and  said,  "My 
friends,  I  have  been  a  most  flagitious  sinner."  He 
went  on  in  this  strain  for  about  ten  minutes,  and  then 
sat  down  in  great  distress  of  mind.  It  was  a  most 
affecting  sight!  That  day,  I  think  it  was,  he  was 
brought  to  the  very  borders  of  despair.  "  There  is  no 
hope,"  said  he;  "Saul  of  Tarsus  cannot  be  connpared 
whh  me — I  must  be  damned!"  "0  no,"  said  I,  "  the 
blessed  Jesus  is  both  able  and  willing  to  save  you." 
"No,  sir,"  replied  he,  with  great  emotion,  "there  is 
no  possibility  of  my  salvation — I  must  be  damned." 
About  10  o'clock  he  was  conducted  into  his  chamber. 
I  slept  in  the  same  room;  but  there  was  no" sleep  for 
Dr.  B.  He  felt  that  he  was  a  lost  sinner !  Tossins: 
himself  about  in  the  bed,  he  sighed,  and  groaned,  and 
wept.  All  was  dark  and  cheerless  to  his  soul  until 
about  one  o'clock,  when  he  spoke  aloud,  and  calling 
me  by  name,  said,  "  Mr.  B.  are  you  awake  ?"  When 
informed — "  0,  sir,"  exclaimed  he,  "  I  feel  a  change  ! 
I  can  accept  of  the  Saviour  now  !  If  Jesus  Christ  does 
not  save  me,  I  am  damned  for  ever  !  I  am  happy  !  I 
am  happy  !  I  would  not  part  with  my  present  feel- 
ings for  ten  thousand  worlds."  "  Well,"  said  1,  "  Dr. 
B.  I  suppose  you  can  say,  ^0  to  grace,  how  great  a 
debtor.'"  Clapping  his  hands  together,  he  exclaimed 
with  great  emphasis,  "The  very  thing,  sir,  the  very 


APPENDIX.  375 

thing  !"  As  he  said  this,  he  arose  and  began  to  dress 
himself.  No  siin  had  yet  lighted  up  the  eastern  iiori- 
zon,  but  what  was  better  still,  the  Star  of  Hope  had 
risen  upon  his  soul ! 

"  Brightest  star  that  ever  rose, 
Sweetest  star  that  ever  shone." 

The  next  day,  in  the  presence  of  the  great  congre- 
gation, he  presented  himself  as  a  miracle  of  grace,  and 
told  what  the  Lord  had  done  for  his  soul.  I  suspect, 
that  moment  angels  in  heaven  struck  a  note  loud  and 
long,  rich  and  sweet.  Some  ten  years  after  this,  I  men- 
tioned this  case  to  a  certain  lady  in  conversation. — 
"0  Sir,"  said  she,  "Dr.  B.  is  my  brother-in-law." 
"Indeed!  said  I.  Well,  is  he  still  alive?"  "Yes," 
said  she,  "he  is  still  alive."  "And,  Madam,"  con- 
tinued I,  how  does  he  hold  on  ?"  "  0,  very  well," 
said  she,  "'very  well;  he  is  a  member  of  the  church, 
and  a  useful  member,  too."  Surely  grace  is  triumph- 
ant, and  reigns  like  a  conqueror. 

MATERNAL  INFLUENCE. 

Some  few  years  since,  when  in  Texas,  I  unexpect- 
edly lighted  upon  a  military  post.  The  soldiers,  so 
far  as  their  spiritual  interests  were  concerned,  had 
been  sadly  neglected.  No  one  had  preached  to  them, 
nor  had  any  one,  it  seems,  given  them  a  single  Bible 
or  tract — no  man  cared  for  their  souls.  Having  ob- 
tained permission  of  the  commander,  I  preached  seve- 
ral times  to  them.  On  one  occasion,  in  the  midst  of 
my  discourse,  I  observed — "Soldiers!  most  of  you,  I 
suppose,  are  from  the  United  States,  and  are  perhaps 
entirely  regardless  of  the  interests  of  your  souls;  but 
I  wonder  if  some  of  you  have  not  pious  mothers  at 


376  APPENDIX. 

home,  who  have  loved  you,  and  prayed  for  you,  aye, 
and  have  wept  on  your  account."  Having  made  these, 
or  very  similar  remarks,  I  cast  my  eyes  rapidly  over 
the  faces  of  those  before  me,  and  observed  one  who 
was  exceedingly  wrought  upon.  Every  muscle  of 
his  face  seemed  to  be  moved,  and  the  tears  began  to 
trickle  down  his  cheeks.  Then  addressing  him  parti- 
cularly— "Soldier!"  said  I,  "come  here — I  want  to 
talk  with  you."  Sure  enough,  he  immediately  fol- 
lowed me,  and  when  we  had  gone  a  little  way  off — 
"Soldier!"  said  I,  "tell  me — Have  not  you  a  pious 
mother  ?"  Bursting  into  a  flood  of  tears — "  Yes,  sir," 
said  he,  "  I  have  a  very  pious  mother,  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  church  in  Pennsylvania."  Here  he 
wept  aloud — so  loud  that  he  might  have  been  heard 
a  very  considerable  distance.  After  pointing  out  the 
way  of  salvation  to  him,  through  a  crucified  Saviour, 
as  clearly  as  I  could,  I  left  him.  Some  two  or  three 
days  after  I  called  again,  and  found  him  rejoicing  in 
the  hope  of  glory.  He  had  found  his  mother's  Sa- 
viour and  his  mother's  God  !  Heaven  bless  mothers, 
pious  mothers,  all  the  world  over !  and  let  all  the  an- 
gels of  God  say  Amen.  Thank  God,  I  too  had  a 
pious  mother. 


THE    END. 


Date  Due 

hf^.  ?      m 

f) 

